Cronus Rising
by Seriously Sam
Summary: At a time when the world is piecing itself back together, There are those who want to rip it apart again. Teddy Lupin is about to learn how powerful his godfather truly is.
1. Prologue

_At a time when the world is piecing itself back together, _

_There are those who want to rip it apart again._

_Teddy Lupin is about to learn how powerful his godfather truly is._

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Prologue"**

Teddy Lupin had heard great tales of war since he could remember. He remembered listening to them with rapid fascination. He imagined great battles with the sky lighting up with every color imaginable. He pictured cheers and applause when the good guys won. Images of his godfather fighting with ease also flickered in his mind since his godfather was an Auror, and Teddy had no doubt that his godfather was the best Auror there ever was. The appealing nature of those battles soon lost its magic when he was told that his parents died in battle.

Most of the time, Teddy didn't quite understand what war actually meant. He was only five years old after all. He couldn't comprehend murder and snatchers. Mudbloods and blood traitors were hazy words in his vocabulary. The concepts of war were lost to him and seemed like a far away nightmare that could never truly exist outside of dreams.

Teddy also didn't understand why every time he was out with his godfather, people stopped him on the street to shake his hand, snap a picture or ask for his autograph. His godfather's picture almost always graced the covers of magazines and newspaper. There were times when his godfather's girlfriend, Ginny Weasley, would also grace the pages.

Teddy could see why Ginny was always on the covers and in the newspaper. She was the star Chaser of the Holyhead Harpies. She was, in Teddy's opinion, the coolest person he had ever met.

That was who Teddy was with one muggy July night. He was sitting on a comfy couch in Ginny's personal locker room, swinging his feet in excitement to be at a finals game with his godfather. His godfather always got the best box in the house.

"You won't believe what I saw when I was out to lunch with Luna today," Ginny said with a smirk dancing on her features.

"Luna's back in town? She bring any nargles or thingy shnorks?" Harry teased.

"No, but she brought a boy! His name is Rolf, and he's… quite fit for Luna." Ginny grabbed something off her vanity. "Anyways, we left the restaurant, and I see the newest issue of Witch Weekly with us on the cover."

Teddy craned his neck to see the magazine. On the glossy front cover, smiling at the camera, was his godfather with his arm wrapped around Ginny. They were both in formal robes. The young boy concluded it was probably taken at one of Harry's boring Ministry events that he was always complaining about and dragging Ginny to.

"_Witch Weekly's 100 Most Influential Wizards in the United Kingdom_," Harry read.

"Guess who snagged the spot for number one."

"Hayden McGreggors?" Teddy spoke up with shining eyes.

Ginny and Harry laughed. His godfather told him no with what appeared to be a sad smile.

"But he's the bestest Seeker that Britain has ever seen!" protested Teddy.

Ginny walked over to the small child and sat down next to him. He snuggled up close to her as she enveloped him into a one armed hug.

"Your godfather is number one," she told him with a tap on the nose.

"Harry's number one?" Teddy questioned with his nose scrunching up. "But why?"

"I'll tell you when you're older," his godfather replied as he flipped through the pages.

"I made it too," Ginny said with a laugh. "I beat McGonagall."

"What numbers?"

"I snagged 78 and McGonagall got a winning 86."

Harry nodded absentmindedly. He stopped on one page and Teddy could see a smiling Ginny embossed on the sheet. Below her picture, in bold letters, read, _"__**Ginevra Weasley: Holyhead Harpies' Star Chaser and Captain. Long-term girlfriend of The Chosen One."**_

Teddy's brow furrowed as he read the heading slowly. Before he could ask what exactly it said, there was a knock on the locker room door. A head peeked in telling Ginny that she was needed for the huddle. Harry threw the magazine onto the vanity, kissed Ginny on the cheek and then scooped his godson up in his arms.

"Win for me, Ginny!" Teddy shouted over his godfather's shoulder.

Ginny chuckled and waved goodbye to him before the door closed behind them. They made their way to the premium box. Ginny's family was already situated in their seats, two in the middle were empty for Harry and Teddy.

As soon as his godfather sat him down on the ground, Teddy rushed to greet Ron and George. The two never failed to amuse the small boy. George was always had treats and tricks in his pockets. Ron always made him laugh with a joke.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry questioned as he sat down in a vacant seat.

"Got called into work," Ron replied. "Bit weird, isn't it? It's been quiet lately."

"Teddy, the game's starting. Come sit down."

The five year old watched in excitement. He tried to keep his eyes on Ginny but often found himself unable to keep up with her fast-paced flying. Before long, Teddy's nose was pressed against the glass as his eyes darted around the field.

When the game ended, the Holyhead Harpies won 180 to the Applyby Arrows 150. Harry lifted a protesting Teddy up in his arms and situated the boy on his hip.

"'M not tired," he said into his godfather's neck.

"Sure you aren't."

Harry rubbed his back soothingly and carried the small boy out of the stadium. When they were far enough away, Teddy felt the familiar sensation of being sucked into a vacuum.

Teddy only vaguely registered entering his house. His godfather called out for his grandmother but there was no answer. That was when the small boy lifted his head from Harry's shoulder. The back of his hand scrubbed his eyes awake. His grandmother was always waiting on the living room couch when he came home.

"Grandmum!" Teddy shouted as Harry jerked his head away.

Harry loosened his grip on Teddy and let him stand on his own two feet. He pulled out his wand and held it in front of him. Teddy began to wander into the house when a hand gripped his shoulder and pulled him back. His back collided with his godfather's legs.

"Stay close," Harry whispered.

"GRANDMUM!"

"Shh, be quiet."

Scared and confused, Teddy gripped his godfather's pant leg tightly in his small hand. His dark green Holyhead Harpies Phrygian cap slipped backwards on his head. Harry pushed the child behind him as he inched farther into the house.

Opening the swing doors to the kitchen, Teddy peeked from behind his godfather's legs to see his grandmother lying very still on the floor. Her eyes were lackluster and staring right at him with no flicker of recognition or life. Before Teddy could call out to her or rush towards her, Harry swept him up in strong arms and ran from the house.

**I started this story YEARS ago but never finished it. I'm in the process of restructuring and finishing the story. I'm finished up to chapter 11 and estimate around 20 chapters total. I've recently gotten back into writing so please enjoy. This story is canon through Deathly Hallows. No Cursed Child - I've honestly never read it. The story format is going to alternate between Harry and Teddy's point of view. It'll alternate every chapter. The rest of the chapters will be a lot longer. This was just a short prologue. Please leave a review if you'd like to read more!**


	2. Fallen Heroes

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter One: Fallen Heroes"**

Harry was sprawled on the couch in his flat with the small body of his godson slumped against his side. On the coffee table lay _Witch Weekly_ with him and Ginny's smiling faces staring up him. The picture had been taken a fortnight ago at a Ministry gala celebrating five years of being Voldemort free and honoring the lives that were lost in the struggle. Harry had been asked to be the keynote speaker so he attended with Ginny on his arm.

Now, the tinges of war were upon them again. Andromeda Tonks' murder did not seem random or insignificant. The wizard who allowed the killing curse to slither from their throat did not do so out of madness or insane fun. It was not a botched robbery. No, everyone knew that Teddy Lupin was Harry Potter's godson. Whoever murdered Andromeda was going after Teddy. Harry was positive.

When Harry told his godson that his grandmother was dead, he cried something awful. Quickly, he slipped into the denial stage of grief. After hours of crying and hiccups, he collapsed into his godfather's arms out of exhaustion.

The embers in the fire were slowly dying causing the room to grow darker by the second. Glancing out the window, Harry noted the full moon creeping out behind dark clouds. Images of Remus Lupin's dead body flickered in front of his eyes. They disappeared as quickly as they came.

Peace was a fickle friend. It would linger around just long enough to mask the world in a disillusioned dream. Then, it would disappear off into the abyss and leave behind chaos and death.

It had been years since Harry felt the claws of death coiling into his life. There only seemed to be birth and love. Bill and Fleur had a daughter they named Victoire. They named her as such because she was born on the second anniversary when Voldemort had been defeated for foolishly thinking he was the master of the Elder Wand. Percy married a woman named Audrey who quickly gave birth to a baby they called Molly. She was a year younger than Victoire. George, just eight months ago, married Angelina Johnson.

The lock to the front door clicked. Involuntarily, Harry tensed. Pulling Teddy closer to his chest and hand slipping into his pocket for his wand, he prepared himself for whoever was going to enter the flat.

A flash of red appeared as the door opened slowly. Harry immediately eased and his grip loosened on his godson. Ginny's eyes were glassy and red, her balance something less than desirable. Her hair was pulled back in a slack ponytail and she wore Muggle street clothes.

"I heard what happened," Ginny slurred slightly as she plopped on the couch next to Harry. "I was at a bar with the team when the news broke."

Harry opened his free arm to wrap around Ginny's shoulders. He pulled her close to his chest, her redhead nearly touching Teddy's brown one. Stroking her arm, he told her everything was going to be all right.

"I'm so sorry, Harry," Ginny whispered. "I know how much she meant to you and Teddy."

Leaning his head down, Harry planted a soft kiss on her temple. It wasn't long before he heard Ginny's breathing even out. Lolling his head back, Harry prepared himself for a long night.

Molly Weasley was kind enough to plan Andromeda's funeral by saying that Harry had his hands full with a grieving child. The wake took place at Andromeda's small cottage. Teddy refused to leave his godfather's side.

Hand in hand, Harry and Teddy made their way through the well-wishers and grievers to give their thanks and receive condolences. The little boy was quiet and withdrawn; and it was hard for Harry to see him as such. Teddy Lupin usually bounced off the walls and constantly fidgeted because he lacked the self-control to ever sit still.

Luna Lovegood moved through the crowd with an unfamiliar male following her. Luna was dressed quite respectably in a black dress (no doubt from Ginny's closet) and a gaudy turquoise necklace looped around her neck.

"Harry, it's been so long," Luna greeted him, a small birthday bag laced in her fingers. "This is Rolf Scamander. We've been traveling the countryside looking for evasive creatures."

"Nice to meet you," Harry greeted.

The two men shook hands. Once they pulled apart, Luna knelt down to Teddy's eyelevel. She held out a bag covered in balloons to the small boy.

"Err, Luna, this is a wake and not a birthday party," Harry reminded her.

"I know," was all she said.

Teddy let go of his godfather's hand for the first time since entering his deceased grandmother's cottage to peer inside the bag. Harry watched as the boy's head tilted to the side as he reached into the sack. In his hand was a circular ring with glass in the middle. It was gray with jagged edges.

"Harry, what is it?" Teddy held up the object for his godfather to take.

He accepted it and rolled it in his hand, not quite sure what to make of it. Perhaps it belonged to an Umgubular Slashkilter or something of the sort. Harry didn't dare ask Luna.

"It's an Enemy Eyeglass," Rolf spoke up. "You put it up to your eye and anyone wishing you harm will glow a mean red."

"I thought it would be useful," Luna continued, "since your grandmum was murdered and all."

Teddy frowned and muttered his thanks. Sometimes, Harry wished that Luna came with a filter. He handed the Enemy Eyeglass back to his godson. He had never heard of anything of the sort before and ruled it off as one of Luna's fantastical things.

Upon seeing Ginny talking with her mother a few feet away, Luna grabbed Rolf by the elbow and dragged him off to her best friend. Placing a gentle hand on Teddy's shoulder, he gave it a slight squeeze of reassurance.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom," he whispered quietly.

"Want me to come with you?"

The boy shook his head in the negative and sulked off up the stairs. Harry frowned deeply as he watched him go.

"How is he taking it?" Hermione's voice asked.

Harry turned to see her suddenly at his side. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun and a black dress clung to her curves.

"Not well. He's certainly not the little boy we're all used to," Harry replied.

Harry caught Ginny's eye. She smiled softly at him and gave him a small wave. Harry smiled back tightly, his mind wandering to the lost little boy upstairs.

"Ron's probably already told you that the night Andromeda… well, I got called into work."

"Yeah, he told me that when you failed to show up for Ginny's game."

"Well, what he didn't tell you was that it was a Muggle torturing."

Harry's head snapped to Hermione, disbelief clouding his features. One would have to be mad to attack Muggles with the Ministry in the state that it was. Under Kingsley Shacklebolt's rule, Muggle tormenting or torturing of any sort was punishable to a stint in Azkaban.

"That's not all, Harry. At the house, the cover of the new issue of _Witch Weekly_ was on the floor. The one with you and Ginny from the gala."

"What would that be doing there?"

"I think it was supposed to be a message to you."

A thousand thoughts bombarded Harry's mind. It had to have been some crackpot Death Eaters wallowing in the defeat of their old master. The bastards thought that they could rattle him, thought they were all-mighty and tough? They thought wrong. They had no idea who they were dealing with. Ginny must have noticed the tense conversations and made her way over to the pair.

"Where's Teddy?" Ginny asked, her hand resting on Harry's shoulder.

"The loo," he responded.

"I think maybe you should go check on him."

Harry nodded stiffly and made his way upstairs. The bathroom door was open and the lights off. Strolling down the corridor, Harry stopped outside a door with a metal sign nailed upon the wood. The sign, in Remus' careful lettering, read _Teddy R. Lupin_. Harry rapped a few knuckles on the door. There was no response.

He twisted the doorknob and pushed forward. On the windowsill which normally housed a variety of stuffed wolves collected throughout the years, sat Teddy with his forehead resting on the glass. Faint red tear tracks covered his pallid face.

Making his way into the room, Harry gently closed the door behind him with a soft _snap_. He took a seat on the large windowsill next to his godson, his hand resting on the boy's sneakers.

"I was a little over one when my parents' died," Harry spoke softly. He had never told his godson the story of his parents' deaths. "They were murdered by a dark wizard called Lord Voldemort."

Teddy tilted his head towards his godfather, the Enemy Eyeglass clenched tightly in his fist. He blinked several times before lifting his legs to give his godfather more room. Harry scooted until his back rested against the glass and allowed Teddy's legs to rest comfortably on his lap.

"I don't remember them at all. They were these mystical fairytale people who I respected and loved. They helped me through the toughest times of my life even though I can only recall what they look like because of pictures." Harry paused to look at his godson who was listening intently. "I lived with my aunt and uncle for most of my life. They were Muggles and hated magic. I felt like I had nobody. I wished night after night that some long lost relative would just come and take me away from there."

"Did someone come?" Teddy whispered.

"Hagrid came when I was eleven years old and told me I was a wizard. I was floored. I was never told of magic before that."

"Did you stay at Hogwarts then? You never went back did you?"

"Oh, I went back every single summer. When I turned seventeen, I left that place and vowed I'd never return. Except, I send Christmas cards to my cousin and aunt every year. I've even gone out to the pubs a couple of times with my cousin."

"But no one came for you." It wasn't a question but rather a statement filled with disappointment.

"When I was thirteen, I found out I had a godfather."

Teddy's brow furrowed as he lifted his head off the glass. He scooted down the windowsill to get closer to his godfather. Once in arms reach, Harry hoisted Teddy up onto his lap. The boy snuggled up close to his godfather, his free hand clenching a fistful of his dress shirt.

"Why didn't you live with him?"

"Oh, I wanted to. He wanted me to as well. He was blamed for a crime he didn't commit. He went to Azkaban for a lot of years before he broke out because he thought I was in terrible danger."

"How come I haven't met him?"

"He died when I was fifteen saving my life. It nearly broke me. But then I had your father and all of the Weasleys and a great headmaster by the name of Albus Dumbledore all behind me. I felt like I could go on as long as I had them. Then, Dumbledore was murdered. After that, George's twin brother Fred and your parents were killed. It was so hard to get over their deaths."

"What happened then?"

"Well, Lord Voldemort, the reason they were all murdered, was dead. I had Ginny. I had you. I had my best mates and a surrogate family. I joined the Auror department and I fight every day to ensure something like that never happens again."

Teddy didn't say anything. Running a hand through the boy's messy hair, Harry smiled softly. It was Teddy who was his savior after the war. Harry lived and breathed for his godson, vowed that he would never let anything happen to him. Harry had failed. His grandmother was murdered and the boy felt grief crashing into him relentlessly.

"Promise you won't go anywhere?" Teddy asked in a quiet voice.

The boy had a whole family support system with the Weasleys, but the one person he craved by his side was his godfather. Harry's chest burst with pride and he could not deny the child that simple request. After Sirius died, Harry had pondered why his godfather had been so reckless in his life. Why couldn't Sirius Black just be happy to have his godson survive the devastation at Godric's Hollow and care for him? Revenge and battle meant so much more to him. Harry would never allow anything to mean more to him than Teddy.

"Promise," Harry whispered and kissed the boy on top of his head, silently praying he could fulfill that simple request.

There was a soft knock on the door before Ginny Weasley popped her head into the room. She made a motion to leave once she saw the private scene in front of her, but faltered when Teddy's head lifted off Harry's chest to give her a subtle smile.

Teddy always had a soft spot for Ginny. Next to Harry, Ginny was his favorite person in the world. He loved listening to her chat about Quidditch and found it rather fun to go out shopping with her. When Harry had to work late on Friday nights, which Teddy _always_ spent the weekends with his godfather, Ginny would pick him up from his grandmother's and they would cook dinner together.

Ginny made her way into the room and knelt down in front of Teddy and Harry. Her eye caught the ring in Teddy's hand and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"It's an Enemy Eyeglass," he told her as he held out his hand.

"Luna gave it to him," Harry supplied.

Ginny raised the circle to her eye and looked through it. She moved from first Teddy and then to Harry. A smile broke out across her freckly face.

"Well, you two aren't imposters according to your nifty eyeglass!"

Teddy laughed as Ginny handed him back the object. The eyeglass was quickly raised to his own eye to survey Ginny in front of him. Once he was happy with the fact that she was who she appeared to be, he let her know she wasn't an imposter either.

"Everyone's leaving," Ginny turned her attention to Harry. "My mum and I were thanking them for coming."

"You're the best, Ginny."

"Mum says she wants you two to get home, so she's gonna clean up."

"I'm not going to let her do that by herself," Harry reasoned.

"She's not. She reeled in my dad, Ron, Hermione, George, Angelina, and Bill to help. She let Fleur skip out on it so she could get Victoire home and in bed."

Harry stood up and gently hauled Teddy over his shoulder. The boy squealed in delight, his mind escaping the death of his grandmother for a split second. Reaching out his free hand, Harry took Ginny's in his. They made their way downstairs to see Mrs. Weasley bossing everyone about.

"Oh, Harry, dear, did Ginny tell you? I want you boys to go home and get some rest. I got everything covered here," Mrs. Weasley told him with a pat on the arm. "RON! GEORGE! Stop messing around and take those dishes in the kitchen to get clean!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley, for everything. I don't know what I would have done without you," Harry told her with a smile.

Teddy twisted his midsection on Harry's shoulder to see the Weasley clan rushing around the house. He gripped his godfather's arm tightly and pulled himself in an awkward position.

"Harry!" He turned to see Kingsley Shacklebolt rushing towards him.

"Kingsley, thank you for coming"

Harry held out his hand to shake the Minister's hand. Kingsley gave his condolences before asking to speak with Harry in private. Hauling Teddy off his shoulder, Harry put the boy onto his feet.

"Harry, stay!" he pleaded, his fists clenching his godfather's pant leg.

He knelt down until he was eyelevel with Teddy. Slowly and gently, he pried the tiny fingers out of their death grip.

"Hey, buddy, do me a favor and stay with Ginny for a bit, alright?"

Ginny held her hand out for the child to take. With hesitation marking his movements, Teddy slowly made his way over to her and grasped her hand into his. Harry stood up and gestured for Kingsley to follow him into the den. Glancing back at his godson, he saw Teddy with the Enemy Eyeglass pressed against his eye and scanning the Weasleys carefully.

"What is it?" Harry questioned once they were securely away from the others.

"I'm sure you share my suspicions that Andromeda Tonks' death was not a random act of violence. It was planned and executed with great care."

"I reckon as much."

"Just minutes before Andromeda was attacked, we believe that a Muggle family was terrorized as well. We sent the Magical Law Enforcement to catch the wrongdoers," Kingsley explained.

"I know. Hermione was part of the team that went out."

"They captured one of the Wizards involved. We have him in a Ministry holding cell. According to the Auror who interrogated him, he asked if Harry Potter enjoyed their… gift, he called it."

"_Gift_?" Harry questioned harshly as a frown worked its way deep in his eyebrows.

"The Auror played dumb. Asked what this gift was. The man replied… the gift was the death of your godson."

Harry could hear his heart hammering in his chest. White, hot anger coursed through his veins. His godson, _Teddy_, was the intended target. When he was absent, they murdered Andromeda in his place.

"Who is he working for?" Harry demanded.

"A man known by the name of Cronus."

"Cronus? I've never heard of a Wizard by that name!"

Kingsley nodded in agreement. It was someone new who took a liking to the way Voldemort ran his regime of terror. Harry would be damned if he let it happen again.

"So, this Cronus is a Voldemort copy-cat?" Harry asked.

"It's what I'm inclined to believe."

Sighing heavily, Harry raked a hand through his hair. A Voldemort copy-cat was all he needed to top off the fantastic week he'd been having. Harry had been hoping for some elusive Death Eater on the loose. Not this. Anything but this.

"Harry, it gets worse," Kingsley said regrettably. "This came across my desk. It was found in Andromeda's house when the Aurors did the sweep a few days ago."

Pulling out a piece of glossy paper, Harry's heart sank. There was Ginny's picture all smiles and waving at the camera with the caption, _"__**Ginevra Weasley: Holyhead Harpies' Star Chaser and Captain. Long-term girlfriend of The Chosen One."**_Except, the picture, had a huge red X marked across the face. Harry's insides churned.

"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" Harry demanded as he snatched the _Witch Weekly_ page.

"I talked to Ginny person-"

"She _knew_? She knew and she didn't tell me a bloody thing!"

"We both agreed you have a lot on your plate. We wanted-"

"A lot on my plate?" Harry said bitterly. "Yeah, well, I had a lot more _on my bloody plate_ when I was seventeen years old and hunting Horcruxes!"

"Look, we both agreed it wouldn't be best to tell you until after the wake. You had a crying child attached to your hip and a funeral to plan. I did what I thought was best for you and for your godson," Kingsley seethed. "I didn't want you to go pull a Sirius-"

"Pull a Sirius, eh? You thought what? I'd go out and hunt for the bastards that want my godson and my girlfriend dead, and I'd get myself locked up in Azkaban?" Harry stepped towards Kingsley, face red with anger. "Sirius did what he thought was best! He went after Pettigrew to protect me from the likes of him. He just got blamed for everything in the process! Maybe if _you_ Aurors did your job right back then, he wouldn't have suffered all those years!"

Kingsley sighed. His jaw tightened.

"I'm not talking to you when you get like this. I want you in my office Monday morning with the best Aurors in the division."

With that, Kingsley briskly marched out of the den. Harry scratched the side of his face and glanced down at the X covered Ginny. It brought a whole new meaning to X marks the spot.

Entering the living room, Ginny was sitting on the floor with Teddy in her lap. They were examining the Enemy Eyeglass. As soon as they saw Harry, Teddy raised the circle to his eye and surveyed his godfather head to toe with it. He then whispered something to Ginny who laughed.

Harry knelt down in front of them. Holding his arms open, Teddy latched his arms around Harry's neck.

"Let's go home." Harry then turned his attention to Ginny. "You and I are going to have a talk later."

"Kingsley told you then?" she replied flatly.

"It was foolish not to tell me."

"Well, you found out in the end. No use crying over spilt milk."

Harry didn't respond. Instead, he stood up straight and cradled his godson in his arms. He thanked Mrs. Weasley once more and bid goodnight to everyone. Then, Harry Disapparated.

Once safely inside his flat, Harry put Teddy immediately to bed. He kissed the boy on the forehead before exiting the room quietly. Collapsing down on the living room couch, the _Witch Weekly_ picture of himself stared up at him. Flipping to his page of dedication, Harry glanced down at the caption below his picture that read, _**"Harry Potter: World Class Auror, Order of Merlin First Class Recipient, Wizengamot Member, International Confederation of Wizards Chairman, The Chosen One, War Hero."**_

With a wave of his wand, the fireplace burst to life. Harry threw the magazine into the flames and watched his picture melt.

**Please, leave a review. Next chapter out tomorrow.**


	3. The Enemy Eyeglass

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Two: The Enemy Eyeglass"**

Teddy Lupin bolted up in bed, his grip tightening around his wolf plush. The sun was seeping through the curtains and indistinct shouts were emitting from the living room. He slid out off bed, his bare feet touching the cool hardwood floors. Creeping out of his bedroom, holding Moony tightly in his arms, he slinked down the hallway like a cat hunting its prey until he could see Harry and Ginny in the living room.

They were facing each other, faces red with fury. Teddy had never seen the two fight before. In fact, they were almost always lovey-dovey with hugs and kisses and sweet spoken words. They'd kid around with each other with smiles and playful eye rolls. Teddy concluded that he did not like to see them fight.

"You should have told me!" Harry hissed.

"Right, Harry, because you tell me everything," she snapped back. "I mean, I was the first person you told about the Horcruxes-"

"Oi, Ginny, shut it about that." Harry sighed. "It's over and done with."

"Well, this is over and done with so deal with it."

Harry laughed bitterly and pulled a piece of glossy paper from his pocket. Teddy craned his neck to see what it was. There was a familiar picture of Ginny with a large red X crossed over her face. Teddy frowned.

"This lunatic wants _you_." He held the page up for Ginny to see. "He's this delusional git who calls himself Cronus. Nifty nick name he picked up. Remind you of Voldemort too?"

"Harry…"

"The night he attacked Andromeda, he wanted Teddy. Moments before, he had a group of wizards attack a Muggle family and torture them into insanity."

"I know…"

"THEN GET IT THROUGH YOUR SKULL! HE WANTS YOU TO GET TO ME!"

Teddy flinched at his godfather's harsh words. He had never seen Harry so angry, had never seen him yell so harshly. In fact, Teddy couldn't even remember a time his godfather raised his voice at all. Harry was always so calm, so nice. It was unnerving to see his godfather speak in such a way.

Ginny, who didn't seem as bothered by the tone of Harry, crossed her arms over her chest. Her hip jetted out and she looked terrifyingly like Mrs. Weasley. Teddy shrunk himself into the tiniest ball he could manage while his bottom lip found itself securely between his teeth.

"I've heard this speech before, Harry," she said coolly. "Are you going to break up with me again?"

"You are absolutely maddening!"

The picture of Ginny was scrunched up into crumpled ball and was thrown at the nearest wall. It hit the wall with such force and magic that there was a loud _boom_. Where the paper had collided with the wall was a round-shaped indention with cracks weaving from it.

"Oh, that's just brilliant," Ginny said with a sneer. "Wreck the whole apartment while you're at it. I'm sure your landlord will be pleased."

"I don't take death threats lightly!" Harry snapped. "Unlike you who finds it fit to fiddle while Rome's burning!"

"I do not find this amusing, Harry, nor am I taking it lightly," Ginny seethed. "Although, this Cronus bloke, oh, I'm sure he's the next Tom Riddle. I mean, any wizard who picks out his own clever nick name _must_ be just as powerful and evil as Voldemort."

"He's murdered!"

"Yeah, and I'm sure he's already started picking out China patterns to turn into Horcruxes."

Harry shook his head, his lips drawing out in a thin line. Teddy turned his head away. He didn't want to hear them fighting. Tears burned Teddy's eyes. Large droplets weighed down his eyelashes and slid along his chubby cheeks. He held in the sob that burned his throat and clenched Moony so tightly that the stuffing was stretching the stitches that held the fabric together.

"Merlin, Ginny! You are frustrating the ruddy hell outta me!"

"While you're yelling at me, why don't you wake Teddy up too. I'm sure your delicate tones haven't disrupted him at all."

Upon hearing his name, Teddy scurried off to bed and buried himself under the covers. He let out a strangled sob. He did not want Ginny to die and he knew that Harry would do anything to protect her. What if they died just like his parents and grandmum? How could he survive without anybody? Where would he go? Did he have a Muggle aunt and uncle who hated magic just like Harry did?

The weekend flew by quickly with no more fights. In fact, Teddy did not see Ginny at all after Saturday morning's screaming match. She was gone by the time Harry came into his room to tempt him to breakfast.

When Monday morning rolled around, it was the first day that Harry was going back to work since grandmum died. Teddy was supposed to stay at the Burrow with Mrs. Weasley and Victoire.

Piling bits of cereal and milk onto his spoon, Teddy watched his godfather leaning against the counter with the _Daily Prophet_ in his hands. On the cover was a picture of Harry except he looked younger. Blood caked his clothes and scratches marred his face. In his right hand was a long and slender wand that was not the wand Teddy knew his godfather possessed. The heading read, _**"Five Years After Lord Voldemort's Defeat A New Dark Wizard Emerges."**_

Teddy kept his tongue and did not ask his godfather what exactly the headline read, but there was a lump in his stomach that told him it wasn't anything good. Especially not since a bloodied picture of his godfather shown on the cover.

"Are you nearly done?" Harry asked as he tossed the paper in the bin.

He nodded his head in the positive. Shoving one last spoonful into his mouth, Teddy jumped off the chair. Harry waved his wand and the dishes cleaned themselves in the sink. His godfather motioned his head for Teddy to hurry along.

Teddy ran about his room packing up his book bag with things he wanted to take to Mrs. Weasley's house. Stuffing in a few Quidditch books and Moony into the bag, he began to zipper it shut as far as it would go. Moony's grey head peeked out from the top. On his nightstand was the Enemy Eyeglass. Teddy shoved that in his pocket for good measure before hurrying out to the living room to see his godfather waiting for him in his Auror robes and briefcase in hand.

"We're going to use the Floo today," Harry announced as he held out a small trinket filled with powder.

Teddy scrunched his nose in distaste.

"Come on," Harry encouraged. "I put new wards around the place so I can't Disapparate us out anymore."

Slowly, Teddy grabbed a fistful of Floo Powder and stepped into the blue flames dancing in the fireplace. He glanced up at Harry with one last pleading look to Disapparate instead of traveling by Floo. When his godfather shook his head, Teddy threw the powder at his feet and shouted, "THE BURROW!"

Teddy fell out of the fireplace feeling nauseous and dizzy. Mrs. Weasley hauled him up by his armpits and got him out of the way just in time for Harry to stroll out of the fireplace. He brushed his robes nonchalantly while waiting for Teddy to get his bearings.

"Be good for Mrs. Weasley, alright?"

Harry knelt down on the floor and held his arms open for his godson. Teddy immediately lunged for him. There was a selfish part of Teddy that didn't want to see Harry go. What if something happened to him while he was at work? Teddy bit his lip as he felt a kiss be placed on his forehead.

"Thank you for taking him in. I promise this isn't permanent."

Harry patted Teddy twice on the back and broke the hug. Suddenly, Teddy felt lonely. He watched sadly as Harry gave Mrs. Weasley a hug and a swift kiss on the cheek.

"Never you mind, Harry! I'm glad to take Teddy in. Victoire will be so glad to have a playmate."

With a nod, Harry Potter disappeared with a faint _pop_. Teddy turned to Mrs. Weasley who was beaming at him. Reaching into his pocket, he gripped the Enemy Eyeglass and placed it over his right eye. Mrs. Weasley did not glow but she frowned slightly.

While Mrs. Weasley busied herself in cleaning the Burrow, Teddy stepped outside and explored the grounds. He never had free reign at the Burrow before because there were so many of them. Wherever he went, there was sure to be a Weasley there.

Clumped together at the edge of the vegetable patch in a mass were the most disgusting creatures Teddy ever saw in his life. They looked like overgrown potatoes with stubby little arms and legs. Fuzzy sprouts covered the body of the largest potato creature.

Rising the eyeglass to his eye, Teddy saw the little potato creatures glowing a sunny yellow. The sprouted one, however, was a deep red. Teddy fell to the ground, flattening his body against the grass. As though he was going into battle, he slithered through the grass and weeds on his belly. Once he got closer, he checked the Enemy Eyeglass once more.

The potato creatures were muttering and some were digging holes in the garden. Teddy suddenly found himself to be an Auror going after wrongdoers just like his godfather. He didn't have a wand so another weapon would have to do. Glancing around him, he noticed a slim and long branch. Stretching his arm out, he grasped his newfoundsword with his fingertips.

Mrs. Weasley needn't worry about potato creatures wrecking havoc on her garden anymore.

Teddy charged towards the potato creatures with his sword stretched out in front of him. He slashed it at one of the potatoes only to have it bite his sword. Teddy waved it in the air but the potato creature would not let go.

"Oi! That's my sword!" Teddy shouted.

Then, another potato creature rushed Teddy and knocked him to the ground. The leader of the potato creatures, the one that glowed a dark red, bit his finger. Teddy let out a screech and started to kick at the potatoes that were attacking him. Forgetting his sword, Teddy ran for the house. He dashed through the sliding glass door and slammed it shut.

One of the potato creatures ran straight into the glass with a loud _splat!_ and Teddy laughed. He stuck out his tongue at the creatures.

"Teddy?"

The small child whipped around to see Mrs. Weasley standing in the doorframe with her hands on her hips. Teddy attempted to smile innocently. When that didn't work, for she still looked quite stern, Teddy held up his bleeding pointer finger.

"The potato creature bit me," he said lamely.

Mrs. Weasley fussed over him then. She sat him on top of the kitchen table and muttered spells under her breath. The blood disappeared and the bite mark didn't sting anymore. The puncture marks were still visible, a scar for his brave endeavors. Harry would gush with pride.

There was a male voice that called out from the living room and Teddy thought it sounded like Mr. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley told Teddy to stay put until she got back and raced out of the kitchen.

That's when Teddy saw her. Victoire Weasley was peering into the kitchen with large eyes akin to the ocean. Blonde hair was pulled back into two French braids – she was, perhaps, the only Weasley in the history of Weasleys not to have vibrant red hair. She scampered into the kitchen and climbed up the table until she was sitting next to Teddy.

"How did that happen?" Victoire asked as she pointed to Teddy's injured hand.

"Err, a potato creature bit me," he replied.

"Why?"

"They're mean."

There was a loud _thump_ that sounded behind the children. They both jumped and turned around. The potato creatures were still there. Victoire craned her neck and looked like a snapping turtle with her teeth bared. Teddy scooted away from her.

"Look through this." Teddy handed her the Enemy Eyeglass. "Evil things glow."

Victoire looked through the ring and squealed with delight. She then looked at Teddy and her smile fell. She handed the eyeglass back to Teddy.

"I like the colors," Victoire told him.

"You're not 'posed to like the colors!" Teddy protested. "It means they're evil buggers!"

"Oh," was all she managed to say.

The rest of the day was uneventful at best. Mrs. Weasley made him stay by her side all afternoon. Victoire was there too. She wasn't very entertaining. She liked to hum tunes that his grandmum would listen to on the radio and would spin around in circles until she fell on the ground. Teddy didn't understand girls.

When Harry picked Teddy up at the end of the day, he was beyond elated. Back at the flat, Harry plopped Teddy down on the kitchen counter as he busied around the stove to cook dinner. Harry never cooked dinner. It was either Ginny cooking or they went out to eat.

Teddy told him all about his day. The story of how he fought off a good fifty potato creatures (which he later learned were actually called gnomes) that attacked him when he tried to banish them from Mrs. Weasley's garden. He showed Harry his battle wound.

"Mmm," Harry hummed as he examined the puncture marks. "You were very brave. I daresay you'll be a Gryffindor like your dad and me."

"What was my mum?"

"Uh, a Hufflepuff, I believe."

Teddy frowned and bit his bottom lip. He watched idly as his godfather poked at the boiling chicken with brows furrowed.

"Did you not know my mum good?"

"Well," Harry corrected him. "I knew your dad really well. He was best mates with my dad and my godfather. Your mum… well, I liked her and all but I didn't get to know her that well. I reckon Ginny knew her quite well. They were always together at Headquarters…"

Harry dropped the knife onto the counter and wiped his hands on his torn jeans. He cleared his throat and looked everywhere but at Teddy.

"Harry?" Teddy said quietly.

His godfather cleared his throat again and squeezed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. There were times when Harry would get into moods. He'd stop talking and have a faraway look on his face like he wasn't where he thought he should be. Those moments always scared Teddy more than he was willing to admit.

"Harry?" Teddy pushed. "_Harry_?"

"Sorry," he said lamely. "I, uh, I was just thinking of my godfather. There was a time when I felt so out of place. I felt like I didn't belong anywhere and that my name was hindering me. The only people who liked me for purely who I was were your dad and my godfather. I was just… so angry all the time."

The chicken bubbled angrily on the stove and threatened to spill over the edges. With a flick of his wand, Harry lifted the pot off the burner. It floated over to the sink and the contents cascaded out. Steam rose from the sink and the metal sizzled.

"Are you sad 'cause you and Ginny yelled at each other?"

Harry snapped his attention to his godson.

"You two haven't talked since Saturday," Teddy pointed out.

"Ginny and I just had a… disagreement about something."

There was a gnawing dissatisfaction to Harry's answer. Teddy picked at a piece of imaginary lint on his jeans but kept his mouth shut. His grandmum always said it was impolite to push people to talk about things they didn't want to, and to ask a million questions in hopes of finding an answer he was not meant to know.

Teddy glanced at the clock that hung in the kitchen. It was not an ordinary clock for it had three hands. Two of the hands had pictures of Harry and Teddy tacked on the ends and pointed at _Home_. The third hand had Ginny's picture at the tip and pointed at _Burrow_. Teddy wished that her hand was with his and his godfather.

"Call her," Teddy whispered.

"What?"

"I wanna see Ginny. I haven't talked to her in _ages_."

"Uh, you can fire call her if you want." Harry shrugged. "If you do, ask her if she wants to join us for dinner. We're going out."

Harry put Teddy on his feet. He ran into the living room with his godfather at his heels. A blue fire burst to life in the hearth and Teddy stuck his head in eagerly. After saying he wished to be at the Burrow, Teddy's head lingered in flames as he glanced around the living room of the Burrow for Ginny.

"GINNY!" he shouted. "GIN-_NY_!"

Soon, from the kitchen, the short redhead appeared with shorts and a tank on. Ginny crouched in front of the fireplace with a smile plastered across her lips.

"Teddy Lupin? What do I owe this pleasure?"

"Harry's sorry," Teddy spoke for his godfather. "He didn't mean to yell. He's sad. He burned the chicken."

"He burned the chicken?" Ginny questioned with dancing eyes. "Well, we can't have your godfather mutilating poultry, can we?"

Teddy raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth in confusion. Upon his look, Ginny laughed. He loved her laugh.

"Harry says we're going out to dinner and wanted me to invite you," Teddy continued.

Ginny flipped her vibrant red hair behind her shoulder.

"Get back to the flat. I'm coming through," Ginny told him.

Teddy pulled back and whipped around to see Harry sitting with his elbow propped up on the arm of the couch. His head rested in the palm of his hand as he watched his godson closely.

"Ginny's coming," Teddy announced with a smile as he bounded towards his godfather.

Harry merely nodded as he pulled his godson into his lap. A minute later, Ginny emerged from the fire with soot on her nose. She glanced at the pair on the couch.

"You burned the chicken?" she addressed Harry with a stern look.

"I was distracted," he admitted. "I didn't so much _burn_ it as I _overcooked_ it."

Teddy twisted awkwardly in his godfather's arms to look up at his face. His eyes were gliding down Ginny's body, pupils dilated and a half smirk painted on his face.

"You're not dressed to go out," he told her.

Glancing back at Ginny, Teddy quite agreed. She looked like she had just got home from Quidditch practice. Her hair was pulled back messily in a high ponytail. The dark green tank top clung to her skin and showed off an array of freckles flaked across her shoulders. Her shorts were black and showed almost all of her short legs.

"I'll cook for you," she told them. "I just ate at Mum's."

"You don't have to do that," Harry rushed.

"I don't mind. Plus, I'd love to see your chicken."

"It's in the sink. I didn't feel like cleaning it up."

After dinner, Teddy found himself squished between Ginny and Harry on the couch watching news coverage on the Quidditch finals. Teddy watched through heavy-lidded eyes. He was leaning against Ginny, an arm wrapped around her small waist. His feet were resting idly against Harry's thigh.

He never felt safer.

Taking in a whiff of Ginny's scent, she smelled of springtime and sunshine. He always loved the way she smelled and he supposed that's what Harry liked so much about her.

Ginny was stroking his hair gently with her fingers. The smooth rhythm made his eyes droop until he could only see an indistinct sliver of light.

"I'm sorry, Gins," he heard Harry whisper.

"Shh," was all she said.

Harry lifted Teddy's legs so that he could scoot closer. His lower body rested on his godfather. Ginny shifted Teddy in her arms. The smell of springtime and sunshine was gone. It was replaced with the familiar scent of aftershave and ink.

"I'm not going to break up with you again," Harry said softly. "I don't want that. I know Cronus isn't powerful like Voldemort. I just… if anything happened to you or Teddy…"

"I know," Ginny whispered. "You'd be devastated. I just don't want you to get so wrapped up in Cronus like you did with Voldemort. If anything happened to you, Merlin, Harry, what would Teddy and I do?"

"Ginny…"

"I'm more worried about you than Teddy and I. We'll be fine. Teddy's always with us and now during the daytime with my mum. He's safe." Ginny paused and Teddy swore he heard her smile. "I noticed the nice little Auror detail you had following me the past couple of days. Although, seriously, Harry, I can take care of myself just fine."

Teddy snuggled down into his godfather's arms and let their playful conversation lull him to sleep. He did not think of his grandmum's death or this wizard who apparently wanted to kill them all. No, he dreamt of a large house with a wrap-around, white porch. There was a large Quidditch field behind the house where Ginny and Harry flew around with him tossing Quaffles and laughing. For that moment, he was safe.

**Please, leave a review and let me know what you think. New chapter tomorrow.**


	4. History Repeats

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Three: History Repeats"**

The house stood lopsided and asymmetrical. The roof was blown to smithereens. It was just a gaping vortex with shingles hanging on by threads. Above the house, contorted and twisted in the clouds, was a symbol that nobody thought was ever to see the light of day again. The Dark Mark shone brightly in the sky with the skull's strong jaw and coiling snake. Rising his wand in the cool night air, Harry silently flicked his wrist. The mark seeped out of the clouds.

Under the lamplight was a small group of wizards. Faces were all pallid under the streetlamps. Whispers broke out, scared and furious. Harry Potter stood in front of the group with a frown etched into his brow. He did not partake in the conversations.

Suddenly, the streetlamps went out. The balls of light soared through the sky one by one to Ron Weasley who stood in the very back of the crowd. It was best to keep prying eyes away. Masked in darkness, Harry allowed his eyes to adjust before walking towards the house that was in shambles.

The front door was blown off the hinges. Stepping over the broken splinters of wood, Harry saw the man first. Sprawled on the ground with blood seeping from his mouth, he clearly had been tortured before the killing curse was laid upon him.

Ascending the stairs, Harry gripped the railing for balance. In the hallway, mere feet in front of him, was a thin Asian woman. Harry blinked several times and felt her soft lips on his. He could taste her tears as they wept for a boy that was not him. Shaking his head, Harry stared down at Cho Chang's unnaturally still form with a frown.

Her once tan skin looked oddly pale under the moonlight. Her mouth was opened in an 'O' shape. Dead, lackluster eyes glared at him. Harry had to look away.

"According to the Intel our men gathered, Cho married a Muggle man by the name of…" Ron trailed off as he consulted the file in his hands. "Dominic Maddox. She left the Wizarding World shortly after the Battle of Hogwarts and lost all communication with any wizard friends. She worked as a paralegal in a Muggle law firm. What the ruddy hell is a paralegal?"

Harry was barely paying attention to his best mate. Certainly, he had not stayed in contact with Cho because things fell apart badly at the end of their short-lived relationship. There was no need to talk to Cho for Ginny Weasley captured his heart in ways that Cho never could. There was still a clawing at his heart. She was his first girlfriend and now she was dead by a wizard who obviously had connections to Voldemort. It made him sick.

"… a daughter."

"A daughter? Cho has a daughter?" Harry whipped around to face Ron.

"Yeah, the file says she's three."

"If she has a daughter… where is she?"

Ron shrugged. Harry looked down at the file to see a picture of Cho paper-clipped to the inside of the folder. She was smiling up at the camera, dark hair pulled back in her usual ponytail. She looked young and radiant. Harry couldn't bring himself to look at her dead, cold body.

Closing his eyes, Harry focused on his surroundings. He concentrated on the magic of the house and used his senses to figure out if there was a surge of magical power anywhere within the walls. It was a technique that was taught in basic training that would enable an Auror to sense how powerful his opponent was.

There was a small bit of power emitting from the door at the end of the hallway. Stepping around Cho's body, Harry strolled down the corridor until he reached the door. He could definitely sense magic beyond the barrier.

Opening it slowly, the room was decorated in purple and pinks. Flowers covered the walls. Ruffles were situated on the window and bed. On the far wall of the room was a closed closet. Stepping towards it, Harry slowly opened it to reveal a small shaking pile of blankets. Crouching down, he pulled the blankets aside to reveal a tiny girl sobbing silently.

With a wave of his wand, the Silencing Charm lifted and the small girl's cries ricocheted throughout the room. When she saw Harry, she only screamed louder.

The girl, Harry later found out, was called Mei. She huddled herself in the closet, refusing to come out for Harry or any other male Auror. It was only until a witch stepped up that Mei came out of her hiding place and cried wildly for her mother and father.

Glancing down at his watch that once belonged to Fabian Prewett, Harry realized that he had been twenty-three for an hour already without even noticing. His mind wandered to Teddy sleeping soundly in his own bed with his plush Moony to keep him company. He thought of Ginny Weasley twisted in his sheets and her freckly cheek on his pillow. Harry called Ginny at nearly eleven o'clock to ask her to watch Teddy while he went to work. She obliged and went straight for his bed since she had practice early the next morning.

When he arrived back at his flat, it was nearly four in the morning. The living room was masked in darkness. Harry kicked off his shoes and slowly maneuvered throughout the living room.

Stopping on the way to his bedroom, Harry peeked in on Teddy. The boy was twisted around in the sheets. His head lay at an awkward angle off the pillow. His chin rested on Moony's grey head. Soft snores escaped his rounded lips. Walking into the room, Harry shifted his godson's body so that his head was on the pillow. He ran his fingers through the Teddy's messy brown hair. The boy stirred slightly but remained asleep.

Upon entering his own room, he noted Ginny curled up like a cat on the edge of the bed. Her red hair sprawled behind her and her white skin shone brightly in the moonlight that was seeping through the window. Loosening the tie around his neck, Harry watched her sleep. The slow rise and fall of her chest, the soft puffs of air that escaped plump lips… Harry was memorized.

There was a tightening in his chest. Did Dominic Maddox ever watch Cho sleep? Did he feel a rush of affection and a knot coiling in his stomach? He wondered if Cho or Dominic ever got up in the middle of the night to see their daughter sleeping like a pretzel. Did they ever gently set her in a more comfortable position?

Crossing the room to his dresser, Harry dug through the piles of boxers until he saw a small blue box lying misplaced with the fabric. His fingers brushed the velvet fabric and he clenched the box in his hand. Snapping it open, a diamond ring with an asscher cut lay inside. He envisioned the ring sparkling on Ginny's finger, her smile large as she showed her mother, Hermione, and sister-in-laws.

Burying the ring box in the boxers, Harry closed the drawer silently. Changing quickly, he slid into bed next to Ginny and felt his chest constrict. He placed a small kiss to Ginny's speckled shoulder before putting his back to her and drifting off to sleep.

The next morning, when Harry woke up, Ginny was gone. The indention of her body was faintly visible in the mattress and pillow. A lump formed in his throat but he quickly swallowed it.

Harry leaned against the counter reading the Daily Prophet as Teddy shoveled cereal into his mouth. The attack on Cho's home made the front page. There was a picture of himself at fifteen and Cho at sixteen gracing the cover. Harry's stomach churned at the headline that read, _**"Harry Potter's Ex-Girlfriend Found Slain In Home With Muggle Husband."**_

"Almost ready, Teddy?" Harry called as he watched his younger self blush.

"Yeah," Teddy said reluctantly. "I wanna go to work with you."

"Don't you like Mrs. Weasley and Victoire?"

Harry glanced at his godson over the paper. Teddy frowned as he forcefully shoved his spoon into the bowl.

"They're alright," he said slowly. "I just rather spend time with you."

His heart clenched and a lump the size of a grapefruit formed in his throat. Pride and love gushed through his entire body. His brain quickly ticked off his itinerary for the day and concluded that he was simply too busy to take Teddy along. He wanted to procure of particular file of an ex-Death Eater and, hopefully, have some Aurors track him down.

"You can come with me another day when I don't have so much to do. I promise."

Teddy brightened immediately as he scampered off to his room to pack his bag. Harry cleaned the dishes with a flick of the wand.

Three hours later, Harry was waiting impatiently in an interrogation room. A thick manila folder lay closed on the table in front of him. He memorized the content thoroughly and fully. There was a twist of anxiety that knotted his insides. This wizard was his only lead.

"Get off of me!" a familiar male voice snapped as the door opened.

A tall, lean man brushed the Auror's hands off him. His blonde hair was plastered neatly on his pallid forehead. Cold eyes glared at Harry as he straightened his signature black robes on his body.

"I should have figured it was you who beckoned me like dog," he spoke swiftly.  
"Have a seat, Malfoy," Harry spoke evenly.

Draco Malfoy sneered before collapsing down into the chair opposite of Harry. It had been years since they had seen each other but the boyhood rivalry was still alive. Harry wondered briefly if his feelings towards Malfoy were akin to Sirius' feelings towards Snape.

"I'm sure you've heard about the Dark Mark making a grand appearance once more."

"I had absolutely nothing to do with that!" Malfoy hissed.

"I know but you bear the mark upon your arm." Harry kept calm as Malfoy unconsciously rubbed his forearm. "Malfoy Manor was primary headquarters to Voldemort."

Malfoy turned away in disgust, his face paling a ghastly white at just the mention of his name.

"Do you remember any Death Eater that weren't caught by the Ministry, had the Imperius Curse lifted off them, or dead?"

"There were a lot of wizards whose names I never knew," Malfoy answered slowly with narrowed eyes. "My mother and I kept close to Snape and that was it."

Harry nodded but didn't believe him for a second. He knew that Narcissa Malfoy no doubt hung around Bellatrix Lestrange quite a bit. He didn't know exactly what kind of information he could get from Malfoy, but he expected more than nothing.

"Did you ever hear of someone who went by the name Cronus?" Harry pushed.

"_Cronus_? What sort of name is that?"

"This wizard who is coming into prominence is a Voldemort copy-cat who we believe calls himself Cronus."

Malfoy didn't say anything. His brows were furrowed in disbelief.

"I have never heard of a Cronus."

Harry felt his frustration mounting. Glancing over at Malfoy, whose arms were crossed and lips were drawn in a straight line, Harry contemplated his choices. Kingsley gave him the go-to last night to implement his plan. It had to be foolproof. Harry knew - _hoped_ that he was going about the whole thing the right way.

"I read in your file that you applied for an Unspeakable apprenticeship but was turned down because of the Dark Mark that was once upon your arm," Harry lazily opened the file. Everything about Malfoy was in that file including O.W.L. marks to baby pictures. "So, you applied for an apprenticeship at an apothecary. You're an apothecary's assistant. Is that right?"

"What's it to you, Potter?" he spat.

"I'm offering you a way into the Ministry. If you come and work with me on this Cronus case, if you try to infiltrate his ranks and report back to me…. when this is all over with, I will get you a fair apprenticeship at the Department of Mysteries and pay you quite generously."

"What if I don't accept?"

"Then you can go back to your little apothecary."

"What if I _do_ accept? Who all would know?"

A spark ignited inside of Harry. This was his only chance and he hoped that he wasn't making the biggest mistake of his life.

"We'll protect your parents and your girlfriend. We'll protect you. The only people who will know would be myself, the head of the Auror Department, and the Minister of Magic."

"What exactly would I do?"

"Find out who Cronus is, get into his inner circle, and help us bring him down."

Malfoy didn't say anything. His pallid face glowed unnaturally under the fluorescent lighting in the interrogation room.

"I saved your ass from Azkaban. I saved your whole family. You owe me, Malfoy."

Malfoy's jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed.

"Let me get this straight, Potter. You want me to be the Snape to your Dumbledore?"

The phrase made Harry falter. His insides froze instantly. He never thought of it that way. The simple fact remained that Malfoy was right. That was _exactly_ what Harry was attempting to accomplish. He wanted a pawn in the enemy forces to do his bidding.

"This Cronus guy can't stay in the woodwork forever you know," Malfoy added with a sneer. "Why is it so important to you to track him down instead of just waiting a few more weeks until he makes his grand entrance? You must know he will eventually. A copy-cat would surely want to be in the limelight, to revel in the glory."

"Just wait around, eh?" Harry snapped. "Innocent people are dying!"

"Tell me the real reason you called me in here, Potter, and I just might be inclined to assist you."

"People are dying, Malfoy, and it's my j-" Harry ranted as Malfoy stood up and walked towards to the door to leave. "WAIT! He wants my godson and my girlfriend! I'm trying to protect them!"

Malfoy turned around with a sneer dancing on his features.

"Cronus can't get to your little Weasley girlfriend so he killed your ex-girlfriend instead. Almost Shakespearean, isn't it, Potter?"

"Are you in or are you out?" Harry growled.

"I'll see what I can do, but I make no promises." Malfoy paused. "I'm not doing this for you, Weasley, or that little werewolf cub you've got. I've got my own stakes in this."

With that, Malfoy left. Leaning back in his chair, Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Harry did not leave work until around seven that night. When he arrived at the Burrow, although he told Ginny specifically _not_ to, there was a small party waiting for him. All of the Weasleys (minus Charlie), Hermione, Luna, Rolf and Teddy were present to wish him a happy birthday.

Harry laid out on the prickly grass in the backyard with Victoire beside him. They were watching as the sun slowly started to set in the sky. A good several yards away George, Ron, and Bill were teaching Teddy how to degnome a garden. Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, Angelina, and Fleur were all busy inside cooking dinner. Percy, his wife Audrey, their daughter they named Molly, and Arthur were sitting at the picnic table chatting about politics. At the far end of the lawn, Luna and Rolf were cuddled together whispering.

There was a calm peace that filtered throughout the house. Harry only half-listened to Victoire as she pointed out clouds in the sky and told him what she thought the clouds looked like. Soon, the girl became dissatisfied with her arrangement. She huffed as she tried to find a more comfortable position. A small weight rested on Harry's chest and Victoire found no problem using Harry as a pillow.

Teddy laughed loudly as George cursed at a gnome who had no doubt bit him. Turning his head, Harry watched George chasing a gnome as Teddy squealed in delight.

Once the garden was degnomed, Teddy collapsed on the ground next to his godfather. A brown head quickly found itself on Harry's shoulder. Ron and George lingered as well while Bill went inside to help with dinner.

"Saw Malfoy in the Ministry today," Ron began as he took a seat in the grass. "What did the little rat have to say?"

Harry glanced at his best mate but said nothing at first. Instead, his arm snaked beneath his godson to pull the boy close to his body. Victoire, upon seeing the cuddling taking place, immediately scooted up on Harry's other side. He wrapped an arm around the girl as well.

"Nothing much," Harry replied. "He said he didn't know of any Death Eaters who got away or who was behind this whole Cronus business."

"You believed him?" Ron gaped.

Knowing he could not tell Ron of the arrangement he made with Kingsley and the head of the Auror Department, Odin Vidar, Harry merely shrugged his shoulders.

When dinner was finished, everyone sat around two tables slid together in the backyard. The conversation was light and cheerful. Quidditch and children were the main topics of discussion for a good part of the meal. Soon, rather than later, the conversation slowly turned to marriage.

"I daresay," Mrs. Weasley started after a good three glasses of champagne, "that it will be nice to have Harry and Hermione officially become part of the family. _When_ are you boys going to propose?"

Ron looked like he swallowed a lemon and Harry choked on his own glass of bubbly. The ring tucked away with his boxers floated in his mind. Harry dared a glance at Hermione who was quickly gulping down her glass with flushed cheeks. Part of him wanted to look over at Ginny to see her reaction. Glimpsing over at her out of the corner of his eye, he watched as she flipped her hair behind her shoulder and smiled at something Luna had said.

"_Well_?" Mrs. Weasley pushed.

"Molly, leave the boys alone," Mr. Weasley chuckled. "They're all still young."

"We were married at twenty, Arthur! Harry, Ron and Hermione are all twenty-three now! Next month, Ginny turns twenty-two!" Mrs. Weasley protested. "I just want all my babies to get married so they can give me a whole boatload of grandchildren."

Ron choked on a piece of beef causing Hermione to thump him loudly on the back. Harry looked across the table at his best mate to see a wild look on his face. _She's nutters_, Ron mouthed.

"Well, it looks like Perce and I are the best kids you got, Mum," Bill replied with a smirk. "We've already given you one grandchild each."

"I theenk it is the perfect time to announce our news, Bill," Fleur beamed. "We are 'aving another baby!"

The table burst out into chatter, Mrs. Weasley crying loudly as she stumbled towards Fleur and Bill to hug them. George leaned over Teddy and tapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Would I be stealing Fleur and Bill's thunder if I announced right now that Angelina and I were pregnant as well?" George whispered with a gleam in his eye.

"You're joking!" Harry hissed.

"Found out yesterday, Mate." George laughed. "The Weasleys are now officially reproducing like bunnies!"

"Congrats, Mate!"

Harry found himself staring at Ginny and imagining her belly plump and round with a tiny person growing inside. She would be a wonderful mother, Harry was positive. Ginny was so amazing with Teddy.

The party dispensed shortly after ten o'clock for most had to get to work early the next morning. Teddy lay in Harry's arms like a sack of potatoes, his head lolled against his godfather's chest and arms wrapped loosely around his neck. The boy was exhausted and kept dozing off in his godfather's arms.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Ginny said as she stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him chastely on the lips so she wouldn't disturb Teddy.

Harry's heart pounded wildly in his chest. With a surge of love and passion, he blushed a deep crimson.

"_Moveinwithme_," the words rushed out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"What?"

"I… move in with me."

Ginny's mouth hung open and eyes were opened wide. Turning around quickly, she noted her mother dozing off in the arm chair. Her father was cleaning up in the kitchen. Everyone else had left to their respective homes.

"Harry… I don't know what to say."

"Say yes." Harry swallowed a lump in his throat. "I reckon I'm the only guy your mum would approve you living with. You live at home too, so there are no lease problems or anything. Just… come live with Teddy and me."

Ginny licked her lips before a large smile crossed her features. Slowly, she nodded her head. Harry's chest roared.

"Yes! Alright… let's do it!"

Balancing Teddy on his hip, Harry gave Ginny a tight one-armed hug and kissed her on the temple. For a moment, all the worries about Cronus had disappeared from Harry's mind. He was, quite simply, happy and content for the time being.

**Please, don't forget to review! Thank you for all the ones I have received thus far. New chapter tomorrow!**


	5. Market Encounters

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Four: Market Encounters"**

Teddy Lupin bounded around the flat as though he were on a very severe sugar high. He was excited beyond words because it was Saturday which meant Ginny Weasley was moving into their flat.

Capturing Teddy Lupin's heart was not an easy thing to accomplish. He didn't instantly trust people. He was unusually shy around strangers and kept his tongue when around people he didn't really know. Like a codependent toddler, Teddy stuck close to his godfather in social settings outside of the Burrow walls. When Harry was unavailable, Teddy sought out Ginny's company.

When Harry sat his godson down and told him that Ginny would be moving in, Teddy had been more than elated. Ginny and Harry often reminded him of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Ginny was the only girl that Teddy wanted his godfather with.

"Can I tell you a secret? Nobody else knows yet," Harry said over the breakfast table on Saturday.

"Mmeah," Teddy replied with a mouthful of cereal.

His godfather reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a small box. Opening it, he slid it across the table. Teddy dropped his spoon in the bowl causing milk to splash onto the table. He reached out to grab the box. A sparkling ring was situated in the center.

"I'm going to ask Ginny to marry me," Harry explained with a grin. "When that happens, that means we'll be buying a house. I'm thinking that it needs to have a huge backyard so we can play Quidditch."

Teddy glanced up at his godfather with his jaw hanging open. Harry and Ginny were getting married! Happiness swirled around Teddy's stomach at the very thought of it. It would mean that he would finally have a normal family.

"Well, when Ginny and I get married, we're gonna be having kids too. So, you'll be having little brothers and sisters I guess."

His smile grew wider, eyes sparkling. For a moment, Teddy seemed to forget that Harry and Ginny weren't his real parents. When his dad and mum's smiling faces filtered through his mind, his grin faded slightly. There was an emptiness that filled his heart.

"You alright?" Harry's concerned tone ripped through him. Teddy looked at up at his godfather.

"Yeah…" he trailed off. "I'm really excited."

"You can't tell Ginny though. I'm waiting for the right moment and I want her to be surprised. Promise me, okay?"

"Promise."

After breakfast, Teddy and Harry sat on the living room couch watching a recap of a Quidditch game while waiting for Ginny and Mrs. Weasley. The doorbell rang and Teddy bounced in excitement. Harry crossed the room to open the front door and Teddy sank down into the cushions. Two men walked in. One looked familiar from his grandmum's funeral. The other one did not look familiar in the slightest.

"Harry, we need to have a meeting with…" the unfamiliar man trailed off upon spotting Teddy sitting on the sofa.

"Odin, this is my godson Teddy Lupin. Teddy, this is my boss Odin Vidar."

"Hi," Teddy greeted weakly.

Odin Vidar nodded stiffly. He was a tall, muscular man. Scars littered the sharp angles of his face. His mane of pepper hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

"Kingsley, you know Teddy. Teddy, this is Kingsley Shacklebolt., the Minister of Magic. He used to work very closely with your mum."

Kingsley ambled forward. He too was a large, muscular man. There was, however, a gentleness to his features that Mr. Vidar did not possess. Kneeling down to Teddy's eyelevel, he held out his hand.

"You look incredibly like Remus," he commented as Teddy shook his hand.

"You knew my dad too?"

A soft smile crossed Kingsley's face as he nodded.

"Tonks and I were Aurors together while Remus and I worked together in the Order of the Phoenix."

"What's the Order of the Phoenix?"

Teddy glanced questioningly at his godfather who frowned. Kingsley looked guilty before standing up and crossing the room to stand next to Mr. Vidar. That only confused Teddy more.

"I'll tell you when you're older," replied Harry.

A frown etched itself into Teddy's features. He _hated_ being told that he had to wait until he was older.

"We have a plan," Kingsley started slowly, "that we think will draw Cronus out so we can play M- our spy."

"What is it?" demanded Harry.

"There's a meeting set up at a Muggle diner in two hours. The three of us and _him_ will be in attendance," Mr. Vidar added.

"Today? It's… it's Saturday! Ginny is moving in today."

"This can't wait, Harry. You _need_ to be there. You're a crucial part of the plan."

"Ginny will understand," Kingsley supplied.

"Are we talking about the _same_ Ginny?" questioned Harry with a weary smile.

Ginny and Mrs. Weasley arrived nearly an hour later. They each carried a box in their arms. Setting them down on the living room floor, Mrs. Weasley let out a sob and pulled her daughter close to her chest. After several sobs and kisses later, Mrs. Weasley broke the embrace and made her way to Harry.

Teddy's godfather received the same treatment. Catching Ginny's eyes, Teddy and her broke out into snickers as Harry idly tapped her back and told her everything was alright.

Mrs. Weasley then went to sit next to Teddy on the couch and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. She pulled him close and kissed the top of his head. She muttered to herself that she couldn't believe her baby was all grown up and asked where the time went. Teddy didn't say anything.

Harry pulled Ginny aside. Teddy heard him whisper to her that he had to be leaving soon for work.

"You _what_?" Ginny asked.

"I have to get to a meeting for work. Look, I'm sorry but it's important."

Ginny's lips drew in a thin line and her arms crossed over her chest. Teddy thought of the engagement ring in Harry's pocket.

"Don't be mad," Harry whispered.

"I'm not mad. I just thought when I moved into my boyfriend's flat that he would _be_ there."

Harry kissed Ginny on the cheek and hugged Teddy before leaving the flat. Mrs. Weasley had to part as well since she was due at Bill and Fleur's.

Ginny sunk down to the ground and pulled out tiny packages from one of the boxes. With a tap of her wand, the packages grew in size. Soon, there was an array of boxes littering the living room floor. Teddy sat next to Ginny idly as she sorted through her possessions. He didn't touch anything because grandmum always said not to touch things that weren't his.

Photo albums and envelopes were unpacked from one of the containers. Ginny gave Teddy the container to look through. One album was labeled _Summer 1995_ in Ginny's neat cursive.

The first photo was of Ginny, Ron, George and a boy who looked exactly like George. The twins in the background made funny faces and held up fingers behind Ron's head. Ron looked sulky and annoyed. Ginny laughed with a full smile spread across her pallid face.

"My mum always took a group picture of us after each year before we were off to Hogwarts," Ginny explained.

"Who's that?" Teddy pointed to the George look alike.

A faraway look crossed Ginny's usual smiley face. A frown was etched on her lips and her brow was furrowed.

"George's twin brother Fred," she replied. "He died the same night your parents died."

Teddy nodded. That night was barely spoken about. He was told an evil wizard named Voldemort attacked Hogwarts with his followers. A lot of good people died that night trying to defend what was right. Voldemort was killed as well. The vague explanations were not enough to quench his thirst. When he tried to make his godfather go into more detail, Harry always told Teddy to wait until he was older.

"Harry says you knew my mum better than he did," Teddy said.

"Yeah, she was funny, kind, and beautiful."

Ginny flipped through the pages of the photo album until she got to a picture of herself and Teddy's mum. They were sitting at a kitchen table. His mum was transforming her face into various animal parts. First, a snout of a pig and then a beak of a bird and finally her ears drooped into those of an elephant's. Ginny laughed next to her.

"I can't transform anymore…" Teddy whispered sadly.

"_What_?"

Concern flashed through her eyes. Teddy looked away as tears blurred his vision. Soft fingers brushed his chin and gently forced him to look up at her.

"Since grandmum died, I can't transform," Teddy sobbed and launched himself into Ginny's warm arms.

Her fingers tangled through his hair and her free hand rubbed his back soothingly in circles. The tears were pouring down his cheeks and soaking Ginny's tank top. She didn't seem to mind though.

"Have you told Harry?"

Teddy shook his head in the negative. More than anything he wanted to tell his godfather that he could no longer change his appearance at will. Harry just looked so sad and stressed all the time that Teddy didn't have the heart to worry his godfather even more.

"Why not?"

"'Cause," Teddy replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

Ginny broke the embrace and held Teddy at arms length. Her thumbs brushed away the cascade of tears. Her smooth, soft palms cupped his cheeks. She smiled at him.

"Harry would want to know," she told him gently. "He can help."

"Can't you help? Harry's always so busy."

"You are more important to him than anything else in the entire universe. He's never busy when it comes to you."

A half-hearted, lopsided grin appeared on Teddy's face.

"People talk…" he said slowly as his bottom lip found itself tucked securely between his teeth.

"About what?"

"A wizard named Cronus who wants to kill me and you." Fresh tears tickled his eyes. "Did he really kill grandmum?"

Ginny stared at him with her jaw dropped and her eyes opened wide. Her hands fell from Teddy's cheeks and searched for his hands.

"Where did you hear that?" she whispered.

Teddy gave her an apologetic smile.

"I hear you and Harry talking sometimes late at night. Mrs. Weasley talks 'bout it with Mr. Weasley. At Harry's birthday party, I heard people talking 'bout it. Sorry."

"Teddy…"

"And I know Harry's working real hard to keep us safe and I didn't wanna worry him. Please, don't tell him."

Silence rang between them. Slowly, Ginny nodded her head and squeezed Teddy's hands in reassurance. A soft smile spread across her lips as her hands squeezed his.

It felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off Teddy's shoulders. He felt grounded once more without the worries of keeping secrets. The clawing feeling at his insides ceased.

"Is there anything else?" asked Ginny.

"No," Teddy replied. "Can I ask a question? I won't tell anyone you told me the answer."

"Sure," she replied with slight hesitation.

"Why does Cronus want me and you?"

Ginny blinked. Reaching out, she pulled Teddy onto her lap and snuggled him close to her chest. He relaxed instantly in her arms.

"Cronus wants to hurt Harry. The best way to do that is to hurt the people he loves the most which is us."

"Why does he want to hurt Harry?"

"Harry is… special. He's really powerful and famous. Harry…" Ginny faltered in her thoughts.

"Harry _what_?" Teddy pushed.

He twisted around to look up at Ginny with eyes as large as cup saucers.

"Back when Harry was seventeen, he was the one who defeated Voldemort the night you parents and my brother died."

Teddy stilled. Whispers of Voldemort always wafted through his ears like a water damaged radio. Bits and pieces were revealed so sporadically that it was hard to comprehend exactly what had happened. When the information was pieced together, it never made much sense.

Never before had Teddy heard anything about Harry and Voldemort fighting to the death. Harry was so kind and gentle. Teddy could not imagine his godfather killing anyone, even if that someone murdered his own parents.

It was a common fact that Teddy Lupin worshipped the very ground that his godfather walked upon. Harry was on a high pedestal that deemed him worthy of never making any mistakes. Teddy never imaged his godfather to be a savior to anyone besides himself because he killed a demented, powerful wizard.

Suddenly, the synapses in his brain were firing. It made sense now why people always stopped Harry on the streets to shake his hand and talk with him. Harry's picture always in magazines and newspaper was suddenly understandable.

"Why didn't he tell me?" Teddy whispered.

"Because his whole life, he's been famous. He was famous for things he didn't want to be famous for. He was treated differently." Ginny tilted his head back to look at her. "Blimey, Teddy, when I first met him, _I_ treated him differently. All he wants to be to you is your godfather, a normal godfather."

Teddy looked down at the photo album that lay open on the ground forgotten. A picture of his godfather and a man that Teddy did not recognize were sitting on a moth-eaten couch talking. Both looked worn and somber.

"That's Sirius Black," Ginny whispered, "Harry's godfather."

The man was thin and cheeks gaunt. Long black hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. Sirius Black looked like he had been beaten by a few of Mrs. Weasley's garden gnomes.

"Harry said he died."

"Yeah, he died protecting Harry."

Teddy nodded and said nothing. Images of Harry dying to protect him flashed through his mind. Quickly, he pushed them away.

"I'm sick of unpacking," said Ginny. "I think we should go out shopping. Have a bit of fun. What do you say?"

Twenty minutes later, Teddy clenched Ginny's hand in his as they walked through aisles of vegetables. Ginny wanted to make a special dinner for them since it was her first official night in the flat.

Usually, Teddy loved shopping with Ginny. She would tell jokes and make silly comments. That day, however, Teddy felt uncomfortable. Upon looking around the tiny market, Teddy spotted two men dressed in all black. They stared at Teddy and Ginny like hawks. It unnerved him greatly.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his Enemy Eyeglass. He never went anywhere without it. Placing the eyeglass to his right eye, he stared at the men. They glowed a deep red.

Dread gushed into the pit of his stomach as his hand tightened instinctively around Ginny's. He could feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest. He had to get Ginny out of there. He had to get himself out of there. More than anything, he wished his godfather was with them.

"Ginny?" Teddy whispered.

"What do you think of a chicken dish?" asked Ginny. "I think it would be fitting since your godfather can't cook chicken right to save his life."

"Ginny!"

At the panicked tone in his voice, Ginny crouched down in front of Teddy. She reached out and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?"

"Those two men… they want to hurt us."

Ginny followed Teddy's gaze. Teddy watched at the men reached into their jacket pockets and pulled out long, slender wands.

Everything was a blur. Teddy was pushed to the ground and a swirl of red clouded his vision. Ginny screamed at him to hide. Scrambling backwards, his back hit the vegetable display.

Sparks flew everywhere. Muggles were screaming and running for safety. Teddy watched as Ginny hurled curses and dodged spells. A snarl was worked upon her features and she looked rather scary.

A cry escaped her lips as a light hit in her the arm. She didn't miss a beat, however. Spells flung from of her wand one after the other.

A red spark soured through the store towards Teddy. He sat there frozen as the spell darted closer. Suddenly, Ginny was in front of him with the tip of her wand colliding with the tiled floor. There was a loud _crack_ as the floor started to splinter. A pale blue orb surrounded Ginny and Teddy. The red spell rebounded off the shield and hurled backwards to the men.

Ginny reached behind her and tightly gripped Teddy's arm. His whole world felt like it was squeezing together. A loud pop rang in his ears.

When Teddy opened his eyes, he noted that they were in a dingy alleyway next to a dumpster. Ginny was panting beside to him, her hand clenching her arm. Teddy scrambled to stand up and squatted in front of her.

"Are you okay?" he asked with tears burning his eyes.

Ginny nodded as her bottom lip slipped between her teeth. Blood was seeping between her pale fingers. Slowly, her hand parted from her skin to look at the damage. The skin was completely red and blistering. Blood poured down her arm and dripped onto the ground.

Teddy glanced up at her face to see her deathly pale and clammy. Her chest heaved rapidly.

"Ginny…" worry laced Teddy's words as the tears freely poured down his face.

With her good arm, she held her wand in hand. She waved it and a silver mist escaped the tip. The haze contorted into that of a horse. It galloped out of the alleyway, rising steadily up into the sky.

"Help's on the way," she whispered.

Teddy bounced on his heels and watched Ginny closely. Her breathing was shallow and uneven. Sweat poured from her brow and slithered down her colorless cheek. Her eyes were closed and lips parted. The blood continued to pour down Ginny's arm in a never-ending flow. Reaching out with a shaky hand, Teddy tenderly touched Ginny's knee.

Pops sounded throughout the alleyway. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger appeared. Ron's arms wrapped themselves around Teddy's waist and pulled him away from Ginny. He cried out in protest as Hermione muttered spells under her breath at the wound.

"GINNY!" Teddy screamed and squirmed in Ron's arms.

Ron held him tightly against his chest. The tears clouded Teddy's vision so that all he could see were blurs of red and brown. He clawed feebly at Ron's arms and continued to call for Ginny who did not respond back.

"We need to get her to the hospital," Hermione shouted. "I'll take her, you take Teddy."

Teddy let out a scream so loud that he thought that his throat was going to rip in half. The familiar feeling of being sucked into a vacuum occurred once more. He vaguely remembered sitting down between Ron and Hermione in the waiting room of the hospital. Ginny had been wheeled away for treatment.

The tears were rapidly drying on Teddy's face. His eyes burned and he felt like he couldn't breathe. Ron kept an arm around his shoulders, but Teddy didn't want it. He wanted Harry and Ginny… not Ron and Hermione.

"Where is Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. Ginny was supposed to be moving into his flat today," Ron replied.

Suddenly, Hermione's frazzled face hovered in front of Teddy's. Ginny's blood covered her shirt. She reached out a hand and touched his knee. Instinctively, he pulled away.

"Teddy, where's your godfather?" she asked kindly with a frown.

"Work meeting," he muttered with a sniff.

Hermione turned to Ron but he merely shrugged. Neither one asked anymore questions.

It felt like hours before a Healer appeared with news on Ginny. The Healer said that she was fine and was resting. Teddy squirmed out of Ron's arms and scampered towards the Healer demanding to see Ginny. The Healer motioned for all three of them to follow.

Upon entering Ginny's room, Teddy made a beeline to her side. She was ghastly white which caused her skin to blend into sheets. A large bandage was wrapped around her arm where the curse had hit her. Her red hair lay limply around her face.

Teddy climbed onto one of the hospital chairs to give him enough leverage to hoist himself onto the bed next to Ginny. Hermione made a motion to stop him, but Ron held her back. They loitered at the foot of the bed.

Reaching out a shaking hand, Teddy brushed a lock of red hair out of Ginny's face. She moaned and turned her head. Eyes fluttered opened and brown orbs focused on Teddy. A soft smile crossed her features as her hand searched for his.

"You okay?" she whispered.

"Yeah…" he replied with his voice cracking. "Ginny… I was so scared."

"I know," she responded as she tugged his arm so that he would lie beside her on the bed. "It's all over with now."

Teddy snuggled against Ginny as her arm wrapped around his shoulders. Resting his head on her shoulder, his arm draped across her stomach. He was careful not to touch her injured arm. Tears once again poured down his face and soaked Ginny's hospital gown. She spoke soothing words of comfort as her fingers twirled his hair.

**Be sure to leave a review! I love reading your thoughts. New chapter tomorrow.**


	6. Atonement

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Five: Atonement"**

The diner was small. Tucked in the corner booth, hidden underneath the shadows, was the most mix-matched threesome that Harry had ever seen. Draco Malfoy was shoved next to the wall with narrowed eyes and skin looking unnaturally pale. Next to him was a man twice his size with an unruly mane of pepper hair. Across from them, with his hands folded neatly on the table, was the Minister of Magic himself.

Harry slid onto the bench next to Kingsley. A mug of coffee sat steaming in front of him, but he had no desire to drink it. He wanted the meeting over and done with as soon as possible. Ginny and Teddy were waiting for him back at the flat and, more than anything, he wanted to be with them.

"We can speak freely," Odin Vidar said gruffly. "No one can hear us."

Nodding, Harry turned towards Malfoy. His former childhood enemy refused to acknowledge the people around him. Lines creased his forehead and lips turned downwards. Harry had a feeling that they had already begun discussing the plan.

"Mr. Malfoy has agreed to help us," Kingsley spoke calmly.

"Potter, you and Malfoy will be working very close together. Your lives depend on each other," Vidar commented.

Harry glanced at his boss. Trust between two school-aged rivals was not a simple thing to come by. Betrayal could come too easily.

"We're staging an attack. After drastically changing your appearance, you will be given a potion, Potter, that will slow your heart rate and make you appear dead," Vidar explained. "Meanwhile, Malfoy will cast the Dark Mark above the house in hopes of luring Cronus to him. If they shall come, Malfoy will pledge his allegiance to Cronus as a bitter ex-Death Eater who has been ostracized from society and seeking revenge."

Harry could hear the blood pumping in his ears. The plan was brilliant; there was no doubt about it. He did not, however, like the idea of being near death and at the mercy of Draco Malfoy. The mission was based upon trust. There was none between the two.

"We need to make it as believable as possible," Kingsley interjected as he noticed Harry's uncertainty. "We can't have anyone else knowing Draco's involvement. The house will, of course, be monitored by Odin in case things don't go as planned."

"I need more," Harry spoke up.

"What do you want?" Kingsley asked patiently.

"I _need_ an Unbreakable Vow."

Malfoy's head snapped to his direction. A sneer twitched on his thin face, grey eyes piercing. It was the only way that would ensure treachery was not an option. Malfoy was a lot of things but a martyr was not one of them.

"Draco?" Kingsley questioned.

His jaw tightened. He glanced at Kingsley before jerking his head reluctantly.

Muggle bills were tossed onto the tabletop. The four wizards exited the diner silently. A black, Ministry-issued sedan was waiting in the alleyway for them. One by one, they filed into the roomy backseat.

There were two leather benches that faced each other. Vidar and Malfoy shared the back seat while Harry and Kingsley took a spot across from them, their backs flush against the thin wall that separated them from the driver. The car revved and weaved through the London traffic.

Harry and Malfoy took each other's hands. Kingsley's wand pointed at their arms. Harry could see the sweat running down Malfoy's forehead, his hand clammy.

"Do you, Draco Malfoy, promise to work exclusively with the Auror Department as a spy in hopes of bringing down a wizard they call Cronus?" the Minister's voice rang quietly in the vehicle.

"I do," Malfoy whispered.

A red flame slithered out of the tip of Kingsley's wand. It coiled around Harry and Malfoy's joined hand.

"Do you promise to work with Harry Potter as an equal, a partner, and protect his life as though he were a brother?"

"Yes."

Another red flame winded around their joined hands.

"Do you, Harry Potter, promise to work with Draco Malfoy as an equal, a partner, and protect his life as though he were your brother?"

"I will," Harry spoke softly.

Harry's whole hand tingled as the third flame glided around his skin. The wand pulled away. The coils faded and seeped into their hands.

Leaning back into the leather seat, Harry glanced out the window at the passing scenery. Vidar and Kingsley discussed their plan but Harry did not listen. The briefing lay idly next to him. He would catch up on it later.

The lingering pulsation from the Unbreakable Vow resonated through his body. It was powerful magic that was not to be taken lightly.

Mistakes were inevitable. Everyone made them. The Malfoy family had made enough mistakes to last them a lifetime. The family name was as tainted as the Black name. The surnames were synonymous with dark magic and bloodshed.

Draco Malfoy was attempting to redeem his forefathers' name. He was on the dark and winding path of atonement. For once, there was a different hero caught in the folds of darkness. It was a title that Harry was more than willing to part with.

Upon arriving to his flat, Ginny and Teddy were absent. The living room was covered in an array of boxes. Knick knacks and personal effects were strewn about the hardwood floor.

Harry called out for Ginny in hopes that they were taking a nap or cooking dinner. Instead of his redheaded girlfriend, a tall and beautiful blonde glided out of the kitchen with a tiny girl perched upon her hip. Dread instantly washed through every inch of his body.

"There was an attack," Fleur said softly.

There was a buzzing in his ears. Her mouth was moving but Harry could not understand one word that she was saying. There was no way that Cronus or any of his followers could get through the wards around his apartment. They had been specially designed, intertwined with ancient blood magic.

"Where are they?" he croaked.

"St. Mungo's."

Harry stormed out of the flat. Running down the stairs, his heart felt heavy and his shoulders were tense. They _had_ to be alright.

Upon arriving at St. Mungo's, Harry raced to the reception station and demanded to know where Ginny Weasley and Teddy Lupin were. The witch gapped openly at Harry. She was a young woman, perhaps in her mid-twenties. Her eyes were wide. She was going through paperwork clumsily. Harry attempted to keep the groan from escaping his throat.

"Harry!" a familiar voice called.

Turning, he saw Hermione Granger waving at him. Leaving the reception station, he raced towards his best friend. She gripped his wrist and tugged him along the corridors.

"Oh, Harry, it was dreadful. There was blood everywhere," Hermione said as they entered the lift. "They don't know what kind of spell hit Ginny, but she's alright now. She somehow managed to Apparate out with Teddy and sent a Patronus to Ron and I. When we got there, Ron grabbed Teddy who was crying bloody murder while I tended to Ginny who was barely breathing."

"So, they're both alright?"

"They're fine. Teddy didn't even have a scratch on him and the Healers were able to fix Ginny up."

The tightening in his chest loosened ever so slightly. It would not be completely gone, however, until he rested eyes on his godson and girlfriend.

Pushing the door to the hospital room open slowly, he first noticed Ginny's pale form lying in bed. In her arms was a tiny boy with a messy mop of chestnut hair. His cheek lay on her shoulder and his arm draped protectively around her middle. Her lips were moving, speaking soft words to the child.

Her chocolate eyes gazed at Harry in the doorway and a soft smile spread across her lips. She whispered something to his godson who turned towards the door. Upon seeing his godfather, Teddy extracted himself from Ginny's limbs and scooted down the bed.

In five strides, Harry was at the bed. He scooped his godson up in his arms and cradled the boy. He placed a kiss on top of his head, his eyes never leaving Ginny.

Teddy's small frame shook in his arms. His fists clenched his shirt tightly. Tears soaked through the fabric of his collar within seconds. Muffled sobs rang throughout the quiet room. His face was hot against Harry's neck.

"It's okay, Teddy," he whispered. "It's okay."

His eyes wandered from Ginny's face to the white bandage on her arm. A frown worked its way onto his features. Setting down on the bed, he adjusted his godson in his arms.

"You okay?" questioned Harry as he rubbed circles on Teddy's back.

"I'm fine."

"What happened?"

Ginny told him how they went to the market and were attacked by a couple of wizards that she did not recognize. A spell hit her in the duel. Then, they tried to hurt Teddy. She dove in front of him and put up the most powerful shield charm that she was capable of.

"It was probably Cronus." Harry sighed. "What the hell were you thinking leaving the flat like that?"

"_What_? I'm not allowed to go shopping anymore? The detail you had on me all week was magically gone."

"I called them off for the weekend. I figured we'd be at the flat all day unpacking and Sunday I would be with you."

Ginny reached out a hand and gripped his knee. A silent communication rang between them: _Let's not fight right now_.

"The Healer said I could go home as long as I had someone competent with me," she said. "I think you're quite competent enough."

Harry spent nearly a half hour signing forms and waivers to get Ginny out of St. Mungo's. Teddy had latched himself onto his godfather's hip and refused to be let go. This made the discharge process twice as long.

Ginny was wheeled out of the hospital to a Ministry-issued sedan. Harry helped her inside before climbing in himself with his godson in tow. When the car sped through the streets of downtown London, Teddy slid out of his godfather's lap and happily sat between the two adults.

Once inside the flat, Ginny collapsed down on the couch and stretched her thin body across the cushions. Teddy scampered towards her when he was put on his feet. She took him willingly in her arms. A kiss was placed on his temple.

Harry ordered a pizza from a Muggle restaurant since he failed at culinary genius and it was unfair to make Ginny cook when she was just released from the hospital.

When dinner was finished, the three took their usually spots on the couch with Teddy squished in the middle. The Quidditch final match between Puddlemere United and Montrose Magpies was airing on the set. It wasn't long before Teddy was fast asleep.

Carefully getting up from the couch, as not to disturb his godson, Harry made his way to a trunk in the corner of the room. He pulled out a stone basin that once belonged to Albus Dumbledore and sat it down on the coffee table.

"I want to see the memory."

He wasn't asking, and Ginny scowled.

Grabbing her wand off the end table, she pointed the tip to her temple and closed her eyes. A silver mist trailed from her forehead and floated down into the basin. Harry told her to watch Teddy and he was gone.

The market was about ten minutes away from the flat and was always the one he and Ginny would go to when they shopped for supplies. It was quiet, only a handful of customers perusing the aisles.

It didn't take him long to spot Ginny and Teddy. They were holding hands. Ginny was looking at the celery and carrots with deep concentration written on her face. Her basket of other goods sat forgotten next to her feet.

Teddy was in his own little world. His eyes darted around the room as though _knew_ something was amiss. His eyes locked onto two men. Harry followed the gaze to see the attackers. He had never seen them before in his life.

Turning back to his godson, Harry watched him carefully. Teddy pulled out the Enemy Eyeglass that Luna had given him at Andromeda's wake. Situating it on his right eye, his whole face quickly paled.

"Ginny?" he whispered in a panic tone but she did not pick up on it.

"What do you think of a chicken dish? I think it would be fitting since your godfather can't cook chicken right to save his life," she said in a teasing tone.

"Ginny!"

She picked up on the tone that time. She crouched down next to him with worry set into her features. Brushing a lock of chestnut hair out of his eyes, she asked him what was wrong."

"Those two men… they want to hurt us."

Ginny followed his gaze and immediately snaked a hand to reach for her wand from her jacket. She pushed Teddy roughly back and told him to hide. The boy backed up until he hit the vegetable display.

Harry watched as run of the mill jinxes and curses flew in the market. The Muggles were screaming and taking cover. Teddy just sat there in plain view with tears brimming his eyes and skin ghastly pallid.

Turning his attention back to the duel, Harry tried to identify the curses and jinxes hurled at Ginny based upon their color and spark intensity. A roaring monster of fiery filled his chest when a nonverbal Cruciatus Curse was flung at Ginny. She dodged it by mere inches.

An odd yellow curse flew at Ginny and hit her square in the arm. She cried out in pain but kept fighting out of pure adrenaline. A round, red bruise formed first that quickly blistered and bled. Droplets of blood bubbled as sweat quickly formed at her hairline.

A red spark flew towards Teddy. Harry's heart seemed to skip a beat as she dove in front of his godson. She slammed her wand into the tiled floor as a pale blue shield formed around them. The ground around the tip of the wand cracked. Ginny reached behind her and gripped Teddy. They Disapparated.

Harry was thrown out of the memory and stood in his living room. He turned to Ginny with a frown. He was going to _murder_ the wizards that attacked Ginny and Teddy. When he was done with them, he was going to get Cronus as well.

Ginny took Teddy to bed with her as she feared he would get scared if he woke up alone. Not particularly tired, Harry kissed her swiftly on the cheek before she disappeared with his godson in her arms.

Lounging on the sofa with a bottle of Butterbeer dangling from his fingertips, he watched the end of the Quidditch game. Puddlemere United won by a landslide. After that, he caught up on paperwork. It wasn't until two in the morning that he slid into bed next to Ginny.

Sunday was filled with unpacking. Teddy happily helped Ginny with whatever she needed while Harry lounged on the couch and offered moral support. His mind was elsewhere, his thoughts swirling at lightning speed. Cronus, Malfoy and top-secret mission filled his mind. Tomorrow night, he would drink a potion that would put him near death and Malfoy would cast the Dark Mark to lure Cronus.

There were a million things that could go wrong in the plan. With Harry's luck, they would go wrong. Murphy's Law and Harry Potter went together like two peas in a pod. If anything happened to him, he had to ensure that Teddy would be in the right hands. Silently, he drafted his last will and testament in his head with Ginny gaining custody of his godson and Teddy being awarded everything that he owned.

That night, he sat at the kitchen table and wrote out his will. He _knew_ that Cronus was not Voldemort. He _knew_ that another war was highly unlikely. There was a part of him that didn't want to take any chances.

Ginny wandered into the kitchen in a tank top and short shorts. His eyes trailed her body, a grin forming on his lips.

"Are you here to seduce me?" Harry teased and leaned back in his chair.

"It _has_ been awhile."

She licked her bottom lip slowly. Harry fought the urge to clear the kitchen table with a sweep of his arms and take her right there. They would surely wake up Teddy. Harry didn't really want to give a five year old the birds and bees talk.

"You are a tease, you know that?"

Ginny strolled over to him and swung a leg over his legs. She slid down until she was sitting on his lap so that they were face to face. Her breath tickled his lips as her hips grinded nicely into him. It distracted his mind wonderfully. He bit his lip as his hands roamed up her sides, dragging the thin fabric with them.

"Mr. Potter, what _are_ you doing up so late?"

His hands slid under her tank top and run over her flat abs. They glided upwards, the tips of his fingers grazing the soft skin beneath her breast.

"Work stuff," he replied nonchalantly.

"You are such a workaholic."

She leaned her body into her until their chests were pressed against each other. Her mouth captured his in a soft kiss. She nipped on his bottom lip playfully. The kiss deepened and all worries seeped instantly from his mind. Her fingers twined in his messy locks and her hips rocked over his crotch. Sliding his hands to the small of her back, he pulled her as close to him as possible.

She pulled back and Harry's lips followed after her. A laugh escaped her rosy lips as she dragged her nose against his.

"You are making me rapidly forget about work," he breathed.

Ginny smiled impishly as she pushed her body away from his. He groaned and his hands groped for her to come back.

"Your godson is lying in our bed sleeping," she said with a smirk.

Harry had forgotten Teddy. Rolling his head back, he tried to think of anything else besides the tingling sensations pumping through his body. Ginny eased her weight off his lap and he was relieved. If she had been rocking on him much longer, he wouldn't have made it.

"What are you working on?" she questioned as her eyes glanced towards the paperwork.

"Nothing," he said quickly and tried to gather it from her view.

"It that a _will_?"

_Shit_. Harry faltered and looked up at her through his bangs.

"Why are you writing a will?" she demanded.

"It's just a… insurance policy," he replied. "With this Cronus bloke out there, I just want to ensure that Teddy goes to go you in case-"

"Shut up!" she hissed. "You don't need a bloody will. Just rip it up."

"Ginny…"

"Cronus isn't Voldemort. Get that through your skull. Rip it up!"

Harry cocked his head. She was being unreasonable… per usual.

"I don't want to fight with you," he whispered.

Ginny crossed her and pursed her lips in a very Mrs. Weasley manner. He _hated_ when she looked like her mother. He felt like he was being scolded.

"I just… I have a mission tomorrow night and it's dangerous."

"What kind of mission?"

Her expression softened instantly, her arms falling to her sides as she sank into the seat next to him. He so desperately wanted to tell her the plan and how his life depended on Draco Malfoy of all people. She would not understand though. All of the Weasleys didn't have a modicum of trust when it came to a Malfoy.

"We're going to try to lure Cronus to us so we can figure out his identity."

"_We_? Is Ron going?"

"No," Harry replied. "Ron doesn't even know about the mission."

"Who knows about it?"

"Kingsley… Vidar…" _Malfoy_ Harry added silently.

Her eyes flash and her lips form into a thin line. He swallows a lump that formed in his throat.

"What do you have to do?"

"It's top secret, Gins," he answered. "I can't tell you."

Rising from her chair without a word, she slinked out of the kitchen. Harry sat alone in the kitchen with a half-written will laid out in front of him. Grabbing a quill, he finished writing the document.

Harry stood in a house destroying furniture and planting blood that Vidar had obtained at a Muggle morgue on the hardwood floors. Draco Malfoy stood not far away wringing sweaty palms.

Teddy had been less than thrilled when he left for work and said he would not be back until late so Ginny would put him to bed. He fought Harry tooth and nail to stay home. The boy was terrified that his godfather was going to die some horrific death. Harry couldn't blame him.

Glancing at a large mirror above the fireplace, Harry frowned. He grew several inches in height. His hair was a soft honey, his skin had a tint of olive to it and his eyes were a shocking blue. His nose was hooked and lips small. The scar upon his forehead was no longer visible.

"Are you ready?" Harry demanded harsher than he intended.

Malfoy jerked his head and pulled out his wand. Taking several deep breathes, his demeanor changed. Cracking his neck from side to side, he shook out his nerves.

Harry uncorked the vial of black tar. Draining the contents, it tasted just like it looked. He coughed and shoved the vial into his pocket. His breathing slowed and he fought to get oxygen into his body. His heart seemed to be barely beating. Falling to the floor, Malfoy rushed over to catch him and helped him into a lying position. With a flick of a wand, Harry felt the last of the Muggle blood splattered across his face and around his body.

Trying to move, he found that he couldn't. His eyes would not even blink. The last thing Harry saw was the Dark Mark shooting out of Malfoy's wand before his eyelids were pushed closed.

It was difficult to tell how much time passed. His world was clouded in darkness and Malfoy was making little sound.

"Someone's coming," Malfoy hissed somewhere to Harry's right.

The front door was blasted off its hinges. Footfalls sounded on the hardwood. They were heavy and sounded like they were clad in boots.

"Who are you?" a deep, male voice demanded.

"My name is Draco Malfoy and I wish to speak to a man they call Cronus," he spoke coolly.

All hints that Malfoy was a nervous wreck while they were staging the scene were completely gone.

"What's your business with him?" a new, male voice rang. It was higher pitched than the former.

"What he wants," Malfoy replied. "He's going after Harry Bloody Potter, his Blood-Traitor girlfriend, and his Half-Bred godson. Not to mention he detests Muggle filth like this one."

A swift kick was delivered to Harry's side. He silently cursed Malfoy.

"So, what?" a new man spoke. "Yeh killed yerself a Muggle and yeh want an award?"

"I want to bring down Potter and his new world order of Muggle lovers."

"The Dark Mark looms above the house yet no Ministry officials have arrived," the deep-voiced man spoke. "Suspicious, isn't it?"

"Yeah! 'Picious it is!"

"We are in a Muggle neighborhood," Malfoy said dully and sounding eerily like Snape. "I cast a charm on the Dark Mark so no filthy Muggles can see it. The Ministry will not notice the mark until morning most likely. I wanted to give us a chance to talk."

One of the men grunted.

"You could be a Ministry drone trying to lure us out. We're not stupid," the first man commented.

"We ain't no stupid blokes! Yeh gotta do better than that to see Cronus."

It was silent for a few seconds before one of the men gasped. Harry only assumed that Malfoy had drawn his sleeve and made the mark shine on his pallid forearm.

"The Malfoys were one of the most prominent Pureblooded families in all of Britain. Then Harry _Potter_," he spat, "destroyed the Dark Lord. My family had to pay its way out of Azkaban. I want revenge. I want Potter's head on a platter."

"We make no promises, Malfoy," the deep-voiced man spoke. "We will converse with Cronus. If we find out this is a trick, we'll hang you by your toes and fillet the skin from your bones."

Harry heard them leave. Malfoy did not move upon their exit. He didn't know how long it was before a hand touched his arm and his whole world was sucked into a vacuum.

Once they were out of the Muggle house, a potion was poured into Harry's mouth. Slowly, the feeling in his limbs returned. His breathing picked up and his heart was pumping normally. His eyes fluttered opened to see Kingsley looming above him.

Before long, Harry found himself standing with Vidar and Kingsley in Malfoy's memory. The three wizards who had been affiliated with Cronus were not familiar to Harry. Vidar, however, recognized the squeaky voiced one. Apparently, he was a smalltime criminal who had been picked up by the Ministry on several occasions. They were misdemeanors that resulted with a slap on the wrist and a hefty fine.

Nevertheless, they had their first lead in the case. Harry could not contain his joy.

**Don't forget to leave a review! New chapter tomorrow.**


	7. Mirror Mirror

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Six: Mirror Mirror"**

Harry did not come home at all on Monday. Teddy sat at the kitchen table with his head in his hands watching the clock hang on the wall. His godfather's hand was pointed at _WORK_ up until the time Ginny put Teddy to bed, told him a story, and kissed him softly on the forehead. When he woke up the next morning, his godfather was still absent and Ginny said that he never came home the night before.

Teddy curled up in the comfy green armchair holding Moony close to his chest. He refused to say anything, refused to move. Dark thoughts plagued his mind. What if Harry was dead? No, he couldn't be dead. The clock in the kitchen was never wrong. Then again, Harry had never stayed at work for so long either. Something was horribly wrong. Teddy couldn't help the nagging feeling that clawed at his heart.

When five o'clock rolled around, a key was shoved into the front door. Harry Potter stepped through the threshold looking worn and haggard. Teddy immediately jumped off the chair and bounded towards his godfather.

"HARRY!"

He wrapped his arms around his godson and lifted him up in the air. Teddy snuggled against his chest, face buried into the crook of his neck. His legs were wrapped tightly around his godfather's waist and arms linked desperately around his neck. A breath that Teddy did not know he was holding escaped his lips. The boulder that had been laying heavily on his shoulders had lifted.

Peeking out, Teddy noticed Ginny standing not far away from them with her arms crossed and mouth drawn into a thin line.

"I'm sorry," Harry murmured into the mop of sandy hair. "I had a mission."

"You couldn't have called all day? Teddy was worried sick about you!" snapped Ginny.

"Can we talk about this later?"

Ginny jerked her head while Harry carried his godson to the couch. Plopping the boy down onto the cushions, Harry knelt down in front of the couch and grasped Teddy by the knees.

"I'm sorry I've been gone so long. I was working nonstop for two days."

"S'okay," Teddy whispered.

"No, it's not. I'm sorry."

Reaching into his jacket pocket, Harry pulled out a mirror. He extended it out to his godson who grasped the handle tightly. Glancing into the glass, he only saw himself. Red faced from crying and dark circles under his eyes. He thought he looked more like his father than he already had. Many pictures of his father made him look worn, tired, old. Teddy felt that he looked hauntingly the same.

"That used to belong to my godfather," he explained. "My father had one too. They used to communicate to each other using the mirrors. Sirius gave me my father's when I was fifteen to contact him anytime I needed to. He kept his."

Teddy looked up at his godfather, his heart pounding against his ribcage. A smile slowly spread across his lips.

"I want you to keep Sirius' and I'll keep my dad's. I'll carry it with me at all times. I can't promise I'll respond right away, but I will as soon as possible."

Dropping the mirror onto the cushion next to him, Teddy flung his arms around his godfather's neck. Happiness bubbled inside of him. He would _never_ have to worry about his godfather again. He could just call him in the mirror and see his smiling face alive and well.

Hours later, Teddy lay slumped against his godfather's side, his hands fisting the fabric of his shirt. He struggled to stay awake. Part of him irrationally thought that if he allowed sleep to succumb him, Harry would disappear for days again and leave again on a dangerous mission.

"Are you going to tell me?" whispered Ginny

"What do you want to know?" Harry sighed heavily.

"The mission… what was it and who was it with."

"Ginny…"

Teddy stirred in his godfather's arms. He battled with sleep and forced his eyes open. They would not stay that way. Only a slit of his godfather's leg was visible.

"It's over and done with, Harry. You can talk about it after the fact. Plus, it's not like I'll tell anyone."

"We lured out members of Cronus' posse.'

"_How_?"

"With the help of Draco Malfoy playing the role of an ex-Death Eater scorned. You mustn't tell a soul we are working with Malfoy. Nobody knows. We need to keep it that way in order to gain the information we're seeking. Not Ron. Not Hermione. Not your parents. Not Luna. Nobody, Ginny."

A breath of air escaped Ginny's lips. Her weight lifted off the sofa.

"You're serious? You _trust_ him? Honestly?"

"I have to trust him. He made the Unbreakable Vow with me, Ginny. He betrays us, he dies. Malfoy is a lot of things but a martyr is not one of them. You know that as well as I do."

"I _still_ don't trust him. I mean, he could have other people do his dirty work."

Harry's hand was running through Teddy's hair soothingly. Sleep was dangling in front of him, taunting him into a lull. He wanted to stay away, _needed_ to hear Ginny and Harry's conversation. Everyone refused to talk about Cronus around him unless they thought he was preoccupied with something else or sleeping.

"Look, I'll be honest with you from now on but you have _got_ to stop arguing with me at every turn. I have a job I need to do. I can't have my girlfriend yelling at me every time work related things crop up."

"I'm not yelling at you because of work, Harry. I'm scared. Merlin, Harry, I'm so scared. After what happened at the market… I was so terrified that they would get Teddy."

He listened to his godfather reassure her in a gentle tone. The sound of his voice coupled with the rhythmic hair brushing, Teddy was fast asleep.

The next morning Harry dropped Teddy off at the Burrow. Upon arriving, he produced the Enemy Eyeglass and surveyed Mrs. Weasley before stashing it away in his pocket. His godfather crouched down beside him with a furrowed brow.

"Teddy, why do you look through the eyeglass every time you see someone?" questioned Harry.

"To see if they're evil."

"How would you know that they're evil?"

Harry reached out and brushed Teddy's sandy bangs out of his eyes.

"Evil things glow red," he replied. "Like the gnome that bit me glowed bright red while the other gnomes were just yellow. The bad men who attacked me and Ginny were all red and angry looking through the glass."

"You mean it actually… _worked_?"

Nodding his head, Teddy let his bottom lip slide between his teeth.

"Can I borrow it for the day? I'll give it back tonight. Promise."

Reluctantly, Teddy dropped the eyeglass into his godfather's hand. With a quick hug and a peck on the temple, Harry was gone.

Teddy felt exposed and unsafe. The eyeglass brought him a sense of security when Harry was not with him. That was ripped away. Part of him _knew_ it was not his godfather's intention to punish him, but Teddy could not help but feel like a naughty child.

Harry promised he'd give the eyeglass back, said he just wanted to borrow it for the day. Teddy supposed that his godfather needed it more since he had a dangerous job and Teddy was safely stashed away at the Burrow.

Still, he wanted – _needed_ – the Enemy Eyeglass to feel safe.

Victoire lounged on the floor with a coloring book laid out in front of her. Humming escaped her ruby lips as she bopped her head from side to side. Teddy peered from his spot on the chair to see what she was coloring. It was a Quidditch book and Victoire was filling in her aunt's red hair – or more like scribbling red all over the place.

Ginny often laughed when she saw toys with her picture on them. Once, when they were shopping in Diagon Alley, they entered the toy shop. On the shelves were seven dolls, each representing a player on the Holyhead Harpies. Ginny scrunched up her nose as her little doll shelf huffed in the package at not being able to fly. Upon telling Harry about what they saw, his godfather came home from work the next day with the Ginny doll in his possession. It sat on Teddy's bookshelf in his room. Every now and then, doll Ginny would fly about the room throwing a Quaffle in the air.

Teddy slid off the chair and ambled towards Victoire. Sitting next to her, he wrinkled his nose at the awkward way she was holding the crayon. Three fingers were situated akin to a tripod on the wax. The picture wasn't colored very nicely.

Victoire craned her neck to look at Teddy, annoyance clouding her blue eyes. Her golden hair slipped out of its ponytail and covered her face.

"Can I join?" he asked.

Scooting her body over, she made way for Teddy to color the page next to hers. Picking up a crayon, he filled the Quidditch robes with a dark green. He made small talk with Victoire the rest of the day and waited impatiently for Harry to pick him up and take him home. He took great care to keep within the lines unlike his coloring partner. Harry would be proud.

It was just past four when Harry arrived at the Burrow. Teddy rushed to him, wrapping his arms around him. The eyeglass was handed back to him and Teddy immediately slipped it into his pocket.

Harry had gotten off work early before Ginny was to leave at six. A Portkey would take her to Cardiff for a Quidditch match against the Ballycastle Bats. Therefore, Harry left work early to ensure her a safe travel and so that the three of them could bid their goodbyes. Teddy was not allowed to go to the actual game.

They ate take-out at the kitchen table and chatted idly about their days. Harry didn't say much and opted to listen to his godson and girlfriend talk.

When it was time for Ginny to leave, she hugged Teddy long and hard, whispering sweet molasses words into his ear. His arms were locked tightly around her neck, his face buried into the folds of her Quidditch uniform. She kissed him on the forehead before tugging away from him.

"I won't be gone for long. I'll be back late tonight. You can watch the game on the telly with Harry," Ginny told him.

Her fingers brushed the stray locks of sandy hair out of his teary eyes. He sniffed loudly and tried to offer her a smile. It wasn't fair that he and Harry couldn't go to the game. They _always_ went to the games and sat in the best box in the house. Harry said it was too dangerous to go out unnecessarily and reassured him that Ginny would be fine. A herd of Aurors would accompany her to the pitch and patrol the sidelines during the game. She would be completely safe.

"You'll be safe?" Teddy _had_ to double check.

"I'll be fine. Your godfather went overboard with protection," she teased as she tucked a lock of hair behind his ear.

"You'll win?"

"Pfft, Sweetie, you don't even have to ask that. The Holyhead Harpies are the _best_ team. We're going all the way to the World Cup next summer." Her smiled filled Teddy's whole body with warmth.

One by one, wizards in Auror robes started to tumble out of the fireplace. They shook hands with Harry and glanced over at Ginny and Teddy. He glimpsed at them and only recognized Ron. Stepping back, he reluctantly allowed her to make her way to the Aurors.

They all grabbed onto a dingy boot and were gone within minutes. Teddy frowned and rushed to his godfather, locking his arms around his knees.

"She'll be fine. I wouldn't let her leave if I didn't believe it," reasoned Harry as he smoothed a hand over his godson's hair.

Teddy nodded slowly. She was fine. She would not be attacked again. Ron would protect her.

The game started off with a blast. Within the first twenty minutes, the Holyhead Harpies were already up by 100 points. Teddy sat on the edge of the couch, hand stuffed into the bowl of candies on the coffee table. His Phrygian cap was situated squarely on his head as he watched Ginny zoom in and out of the frame. The worst part of watching the game on the telly was they often showed _all_ the players and didn't just follow Ginny. He always watched Ginny exclusively at the games. He thought she was the coolest and best player any team had to offer. Not to mention, she was his godfather's girlfriend.

He never thought much about what that made Ginny to him. Was she his godmother by default? He never heard about a godmother or ever met a godmother. It was always just Harry who took him on weekends and visited for dinners at his grandmother's house during the week. His grandmother nor Harry mentioned a godmother. He'd have to ask Harry about it another day. At that moment, he was too interested in the game.

Harry lounged next to his godson, an arm draped over the back of the couch. Dangling from his fingertips was a Butterbeer. On his lap, a giant bowl of popcorn rested.

"MERLIN!" Teddy shouted as one of the Holyhead Chasers was knocked off her broom by a Bludger. "They're getting dirty now!"

His eyes followed the swirls of dark green robes. He was a Harpies follower through and through. Ron often teased him, saying it was a _girl's_ team and all. He tried to convince Teddy that the Chudley Canons were the way to go in Quidditch. Harry, on the other hand, worshipped Puddlemere United. Teddy was content with the Holyhead Harpies. They were, by _far_, the best team in the world.

"I can't wait 'til I get to Hogwarts," Teddy said with a dreamy sigh. "I wanna play Quidditch and become the cap'ain."

"What position?" questioned Harry as he took a swing of Butterbeer.

"Hmmm."

Teddy had never really thought about what position he would like to play. Part of him wanted to be a Seeker because Harry used to be one. Another part of him wanted to play Chaser because Ginny was the best Chaser there ever was.

"Dunno yet. Just wanna play."

"Did I ever tell you that I joined the house team when I was a first year? Youngest Seeker in a century."

"No way!"

Whipping his head to his godfather, Teddy openly gapped at him.

"Way. I was in flying class and this git stole… Merlin, I don't even remember what was stolen. It was Neville Longbottom's though. I flew after the kid to get it back and he threw it. I dived to grab it before it could break." Harry squinted, a faint smirk dancing on his features. "Professor McGonagall saw me and thought I was bloody brilliant. I got on the team right then and there."

"Wow! How come you aren't a Quidditch player like Ginny then?"

Harry shrugged and took another swing of his Butterbeer.

"I dunno. I love Quidditch but I had my heart set on being an Auror. Then, after the Battle of Hogwarts, anyone who fought in the battle was automatically accepted into the Auror Training Program. Ron and I just signed up and… well, here I am." He glanced at his godson. "Life just sort of works out in the end."

They turned their attention back on the game. Holyhead Harpies were making a killing in the game with Ginny scoring the most goals out of everyone.

There was a knock at the door and Teddy froze. The Quidditch game on the telly was long forgotten. His godfather rose form the couch and ambled across the room. Teddy tightened his grip on Moony as he saw his godfather draw his wand and rest it against his leg.

A burly man stood in the doorway. His blonde hair was plastered against his pink face. Harry stepped aside, tucked his wand nonchalantly in his back pocket, and the man squeezed into the living room. His eyes darted around the room until they landed on Teddy.

"This is my godson Teddy," Harry supplied. "I've told you about him."

Tension slowly seeped from Teddy. Glancing back at the television, he watched as Ginny scored. He could not fully enjoy the game with the strange man mere feet away. Digging into his pocket, he produced the eyeglass and peered through it. The man did not glow. He let out a sigh of relief as curiosity grew the best of him. He had never seen this man before in his life.

"Oh, yeah, I remember."

"Dudley, is something wrong? Why are you here?"

Teddy _knew_ it was impolite to stare, but he could not help it. He had heard of Harry's biological family but had never met any of them before. Curiosity hammered in his chest at seeing the phantom Dudley Dursley.

"Yeah, there is. I got a funny lot of wizards following me about!" Dudley's face bleached of all color. "Y-you don't reckon they got them Dementors lurking with them, do you?"

Teddy watched his godfather carefully. His face remained neutral and calm. Teddy's insides were crawling. Was Cronus after Dudley too? Dudley was a Muggle though… why would a wizard want anything to do with a Muggle?

"They're my men, Dudley. I assigned them to protect you." Harry squeezed the bridge of his nose. "I have a team following Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon as well."

"_Your_ men?"

Harry glanced at Teddy who instantly snapped his attention to the Quidditch game. He let out a cheer for Ginny in hopes his godfather would think he was not eavesdropping.

"We've been having problems lately, Dudley. It seems as though I am being targeted as well as people close to me."

His voice was a soft whisper but Teddy could still hear him. Resting his chin upon Moony's soft head, he stared unblinkingly at the telly.

"Targeted for what?"

Ginny scored another goal and the crowd cheered loudly. Teddy let his eyes linger in the direction of the two cousins. He was careful not to move his head.

"Remember back when you were seventeen and you went into hiding?"

"Yeah…"

"It's sorta like it was back then, only less dangerous."

His heart pounded against his ribcage. Stories of his parents' deaths flashed through his mind. If what was going on now was like it was back then, then who is to say Harry and Ginny wouldn't die the second time around? Harry _promised_ he wasn't going to leave him but what if he was forced to like his Grandmum?

"Everything is under control," Harry's smooth voice broke Teddy out of his thoughts.

"Okay," Dudley replied lamely. "It's just… I got this girl, Harry. Claire, remember I told you about her? Well, we're engaged."

"That's great! Congrats!"

Harry clapped his cousin on the shoulder with a wide grin gracing his features. All signs of awkwardness were gone when the conversation steered away from Cronus.

"You know I'm planning on asking Ginny soon. She moved in last Saturday," Harry continued. "I'm glad to hear you and Claire made the jump. It's fantastic news."

"Er, thanks, Harry." Dudley wringed his hands. "It's just… if I need protection, shouldn't she?"

Not caring anymore what was considered polite, Teddy turned his head to glance at his godfather. Harry's features were soft, friendly. He nodded his head in the positive.

"I'll get a couple men to tail her to ensure her safety. Have you told her about…"

"Uh… no, no. I mean, I was hoping we could keep your little secret between us, you know?"

Teddy continued to stare, his brow furrowing. What secret? Teddy wanted to jump off the couch and join in on the conversation but he thought that wouldn't be a good idea.

"No, that's perfect, Dudley. I was just asking."

"Thanks, Harry." Dudley shifted his weight. "Er, I was gonna send it out next week with the rest of them, but I thought since I was seeing you…"

A cream envelope was produced from Dudley's jacket pocket. Harry took it carefully, opening it with his thumb. A small chuckle escaped his lips.

"You can bring your girlfriend," Dudley supplied. "If you want, you can bring your godson too."

"I'd love to, thank you."

"It's so soon because Claire's father's got prostate cancer. He wants to be well enough to walk her down the aisle before treatment really starts to wear him down."

"There's nothing wrong with a little rushing if you two love each other."

"Oh, I love her more than anything," Dudley agreed. "She's perfect."

"I'm glad you're happy." Harry turned his attention to his godson. "Teddy, come here. I want you to meet my cousin Dudley."

Teddy slid off the couch and inched slowly to his godfather. Leaning his back against Harry's leg and clenching Moony tightly in his arms, he glanced up through his sandy fringe at Dudley.

"This is Teddy Lupin. He's five." Harry squeezed his shoulders. "Teddy, this is Dudley Dursley, my cousin."

"Hi," he said shyly as Dudley nodded in his direction with a tight smile.

"Well, I should, uh, be going. I just wanted to let you know dodgy wizards were following me but I guess you already knew that." Dudley grinned sheepishly. "We are_ family_, Harry, and if you wanted, I'd like you to be a groomsman in the wedding. There's a spot open if you…"

"Oh, Dudley, you don't have to..."

"I _know_ that. It's just, well, you saved my life and all. You're my cousin and… if you don't want to…"

"Sure, I will. Uh, just let me know the details."

With another nod, Dudley Dursley left the flat. Harry sighed loudly with a curse escaping his lips. Teddy twisted until he was looking up at his godfather.

"What?"

"I have to ask him to be groomsman in _my _wedding now."

"No, you don't," Teddy reasoned. "You don't have to do things you don't wanna."

"I don't, but it's the proper thing to do."

Reaching down, Harry hauled his godson over his shoulder. He shrieked loudly and kicked his legs. Gently, Teddy was thrown onto the cushions of the couch. All the air in his lungs escaped causing him to cough. He turned his head to watch the Holyhead Seeker diving towards the Golden Snitch.

Harry collapsed down on the couch next to him. Teddy's feet rested on his godfather's thigh as he bounced in excitement. The Harpies were gonna win! Within seconds, the Snitch was clasped tightly in her hands and the crowd cheered wildly. Teddy screamed in excitement and threw his arms around his godfather's neck.

"GINNY WON! GINNY WON!"

The two celebrated by eating large bowls of ice cream and watching the post-game coverage. Teddy vowed he would not fall asleep. He wanted to be awake for when Ginny came home so he could give her a giant hug.

His eyes were not cooperating. As Ginny spoke to the reporter on the telly, a smile dancing on her flushed face and chocolate eyes sparkling, his eyelids began to droop. He curled up into his godfather's side and listened to Ginny talk. His godfather's soothing hand running through his hair did nothing but allow sleep to consume him. Soon enough, with Ginny's voice ringing in his head, Teddy fell into a deep sleep.

**Hope you enjoyed the new chapter. Please, don't forget to leave a review. Next chapter will finally introduce Cronus. I'll be busy this weekend, so new chapter will be out on Monday. Enjoy!**


	8. Witch Weekly's Influential Wizards Gala

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Seven: Witch Weekly's Influential Wizards Gala"**

Harry stood frozen as he watched the look of mirth escape his godfather's face. A laugh of triumph rang behind him somewhere but he did not pay any attention. His focus was situated on Sirius Black's body twisting gracefully as he glided backwards towards the shimmering veil. An expression of shock and peace clouded his features as the curtain wrapped around his torso to drag him under. He was gone in a blink of the eye.

Emerald eyes snapped open, his breath catching in his throat. There was a slight weight on his chest that seemed to affect his ability to breathe. Glancing down, the outline of Teddy Lupin's head rested idly on his chest. His gaze wandered to the left to spot a sea of red hair sprawled across the pillow next to him.

He was only vaguely aware that he could no longer feel his fingers. The weight of his godson and girlfriend on his arm over the course of several hours caused the limb to feel dead and pathetic. Slowly, he tugged his arm out from underneath the slumbering forms. The limb felt like dead weight and tingled painfully. Using his other hand, he shook out his arm to start the blood flow.

The image of Sirius' death lingered in his mind. It wasn't often that Harry revisited that night in the Department of Mysteries in his dreams. When he did, however, his heart would ache and the feeling of loss was raw. Deciding that sleep would not come easily, he slid off the mattress and padded towards the kitchen to make a cup of tea.

The clock on the microwave enlightened Harry that is was just past four in the morning. Collapsing into one of the chairs situated around the kitchen table, his fingers laced around the warm mug.  
Thoughts of Cronus ran rampant in his head. Earlier that evening, Draco Malfoy was to attend a meeting with the man and his followers. Anxiety set in hours ago. What if his cover was blown? What if he was already lying lifeless on a cold, stone floor? How could Harry tell Narcissa Malfoy of her son's death… his mother who saved his life that one May day when the Killing Curse hurled at his body and killed the part of Voldemort's soul residing inside of him?

A knocking at the front door snapped Harry out of his morbid dwellings. He rushed to the door to look out the peephole to see a familiar man jittering. Opening the door, Draco Malfoy rushed in with his hands stuffed in his pockets. His white face glowed almost translucent in the pale moonlight emitting through the window.

Harry tried to act natural when he realized he was only clothed in his boxers and a threadbare Holyhead Harpies shirt Ginny gave him when she first started four years ago. Crossing his arms over his chest, he tried to act casual.

Wordlessly, Malfoy pulled back the sleeve of his shirt to reveal the Dark Mark burning brightly in his skin. Harry's eyes were glued on it, unable to force his gaze away. Only after the fabric of his shirt covered the flesh did Harry dare to look up.

"I can't do this," Malfoy hissed. "I can't _do_ this again."

"What happened?" pushed Harry.

Malfoy's gray eyes darted around the small apartment as though he half expected childhood enemies to burst out of the walls and curse him.

"Oi, Malfoy! What the ruddy hell happened?" he hissed.

"Is anyone else here?"

"My godson and Ginny are in my bedroom."

Malfoy scowled and made a motion to leave when Harry stopped him. Drawing his wand from the waist band of his boxers, for he never went _anywhere_ without his wand on him at all times, to cast a Silencing Charm around the living room. After doing so, he stared pointedly at the man.

"He's my cousin…"

At first, Harry didn't even believe that Malfoy had said anything. His voice was barely above a whisper. Then, Harry thought that Cronus being Malfoy's cousin was completely ridiculous.

Bellatrix Lestrange was dead. Andromeda Tonks was dead. Those were his only living relatives who could bare him a cousin. Harry's insides twisted. What if there was a secret Black child? What if Andromeda's own son had her killed?

"Explain," Harry demanded before his mind unraveled with theories.

"He told me that his parents were Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange." Malfoy sighed. "I guess he was born right before they joined ranks with the Dark Lord during the first war. Not wanting a child to cage them down in a movement they deemed important, they gave him up for adoption."

Harry's heart pounded against his ribcage. All the air in his lungs escaped as though he had fallen fifty feet off his broom and landed on the hard earth.

His mind wandered to Mrs. Weasley and the look of fury plastered on her features when Bellatrix Lestrange nearly killed Ginny. The protection wards around the Burrow were not enough suddenly. Surely, Cronus would go after the woman who murdered his mother.

"He told you all that? _Why_?"

"He said blood was the most important connection you could have with a person," Malfoy replied wearily.

"His parents gave him up for adoption…" Harry trailed off trying to make sense of the whole situation. "They didn't _want_ him. Wouldn't you think he'd hate the very foundation of family?"

Malfoy sneered.

"I didn't psychoanalyze him, Potter." Malfoy stuffed his hands in the pockets of his robe. "I came to tell you who he was and what he was planning to do."

"You mean besides kill my girlfriend, my godson, and myself?"

"He wants his father out of Azkaban," he continued as though not hearing Harry. "He's already coordinating plans to break him out. Not to mention, he has a hefty number of rebellious wizards under his wing who share his philosophy of totalitarian rule."

"Rodolphus Lestrange is still alive?"

The Death Eaters who survived the Battle of Hogwarts were carted off to Azkaban immediately. Trials awaited them within the next few months, almost all of the wizards claiming they were hoodwinked and cursed, but most were not given the benefit of the doubt. When they were sentenced to lifetime imprisonment in Azkaban with Voldemort officially declared dead, many followers did not wish to live out their prison sentence. A mass suicide pact had been made and Death Eaters were dropping dead nearly every day.

There were a few nutcases who truly didn't believe Lord Voldemort was dead. They thought they could escape easily enough for dementors were banned. Instead of the creatures, the best charm experts in all of Europe flocked to Azkaban to put up wards that made escape impossible.

Harry never thought much of Rodolphus Lestrange before. His wife and brother died during the Battle of Hogwarts, his son given up for adoption and yet Lestrange was still alive? It made little sense in Harry's mind. Lestrange had nothing to live for.

"We'll add several more wards around Azkaban and increase the number of wizards on the staff. If he comes near Azkaban, we'll get him." Harry ran a weary hand through his messy black locks. "What is his real name?"

"I don't know," Malfoy replied with a sigh. "I didn't ask and he didn't say. He just told me who his parents were and that he trusts me because I am both an ex-Death Eater and his blood."

"No matter, we'll find out soon enough."

"You can't tell anybody!" hissed Malfoy. "I was the only one he confided in about his parentage! If word gets out, my guise as a spy is over with and I will be dead before you can say _Hippogriff_!"

Harry nodded gravely. They did not need to make the information public to rattle Cronus. With background information on him, they could easily find out his Achilles' heel and draw him out in the open. Cronus could not hide forever. His days were numbered.

The floorboards creaked and a rumpled Ginny Weasley appeared in the doorway to the living room. Harry glanced at her, silently telling her to keep her mouth shut. His gaze turned to Malfoy who had stiffened considerably.

"I mean it, Potter! Stay the hell away from me and my girlfriend!" Malfoy hissed. "I do not know anything and I am not willing to help you!"

With that, Malfoy stormed out of the flat and slammed the door shut behind him. Ginny glanced at Harry with tired eyes. Crossing her arms, Harry's old t-shirt lifted ever so slightly to reveal her creamy white thighs.

"What's going on?" she whispered as she closed the distance between them.

"You know I feel incredibly uncomfortable discussing work with you."

He reached out an arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. Drawing her close to his chest, he planted a soft kiss on top of her messy red locks. Her face peeked up at him, her lips brushing against his chin.

"If you can't trust me, Harry, then who can you trust?"

"It's not a matter of trust. I trust you more than anybody, you _know_ that. It's just… the less you know, the better."

"This Cronus bloke is after me. I think I deserve to know the details of what is going on."

Her breath tickled his neck. She rose up on her tip toes to touch her soft lips to the sensitive spot below his ear. He _hated_ when she did this because he became putty in her hands.

"It was just about Cronus," he replied huskily.

"What about him?"

She twisted in his arms so that they were vis-à-vis and began to plant kisses along his cheekbone. His eyes slid closed as her lips found their way to his own. Snaking a hand around her neck, he pulled her close to him.

She always tasted sweet. When her fingers curled through his messy locks, he moaned in pleasure and tugged her as close as humanly possible. Her hips grinded into his as he nipped her lip playfully. She pulled back, a finger placed gently on his lips.

"What's going on?"

"Ginny…" Harry groaned.

He leaned forward in an attempt to distract her, but she adamantly kept her mouth away from his. He _did_ promise to be honest with her about the whole Cronus ordeal last week.

"He's the son of a Death Eater," he whispered.

Ginny seemed to understand that was all the information she was going to get. Nodding her head, her bottom lip was sucked between her teeth.

"So… Harry, are you going to reopen the Order of the Phoenix?"

"What? No! He's not Voldemort, Gins." Harry slid his hands down her sides until he felt the elastic of her panties through the thin t-shirt. "He can't stay in the woodwork forever. All we gotta do is find out his real name."

"You're finally listening to me about Cronus?"

Harry sighed heavily and looped his thumbs under the elastic and pulled her close to him. Her hands rested idly on his shoulders.

"Before, we had no idea who this guy was. He could have been…"

"You honestly didn't think he _was_ Voldemort, did you?" questioned Ginny.

"I don't know, Ginny. The irrational part of my brain was attempting to convince me that it might be him… that he made another intentional or accidental Horcrux like he did with me. Then the rational part of my brain told me that he was deader than dead. It's just good to know that this is some whacko Death Eater's son who wants revenge. I can deal with that."

Cupping his face into her hands, Ginny rose to her tip toes to give him a chaste peck on the lips. His hands roamed around her body until they found the small of her back.

"Come back to bed," she whispered and lined his jaw with soft pecks.

"I can't," he replied.

"Harry…"

"No, it's not… I had a bad dream. I don't feel like sleeping."

Ginny nodded and gave him another peck on the lips before ambling out of the room. Collapsing on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table, Harry dug through all the information he had on Cronus. He wanted to be beyond prepared for when they would meet.

That weekend, Harry found himself donning formal attire and adjusting cufflinks on his wrists. Behind him, lounging on the bed with Moony embraced loosely in his arms, was Teddy Lupin. He was sulking at that moment. He wanted to go to the _Witch Weekly's_ Most Influential Wizards Gala with Harry and Ginny.

Harry attempted to explain to his godson that such events were not fun and that he didn't even want to go himself. Ginny was making him. For weeks, Ginny was stuck in their flat unable to go out on her own. The only time she did leave the flat was when she had to go to practices or games. Even then, she had a flock of at least five trained Aurors accompanying her. She claimed that she was going stir crazy, wanted to get her hair done and buy a new dress, and get out of the flat for the night. She wanted to go on a date. Harry could not deny her that.

One condition of going to the gala was that Teddy would not go with them. The party would consist of the 100 most influential people in the United Kingdom and there was a chance that Cronus would show up. The only Weasleys who did not make the influential list were Mrs. Weasley, Charlie, and George. Mrs. Weasley was attending with Mr. Weasley (who had snagged number 99 for his involvement in reinventing the Ministry). Charlie was off in Romania. So, Teddy would stay with George and Angelina for the night.

Teddy was not happy about this.

"Don't be mad, Teddy," Harry said softly as he adjusted the tie around his neck. "You're lucky you're not going. It's some stupid party with a bunch wizards and witches who think they're better than they are. It's going to be boring and annoying."

Harry turned to look at his godson. Teddy glared at him.

"Victoire isn't going either," he reasoned. "You two can have fun together."

"Victoire is a _baby_," Teddy said matter-of-factly. "I'm not a baby. I'm five."

Harry crossed the room and crouched in front of the bed. He tugged at Teddy until he was sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at his godfather. Resting his hands on his godson's knees, Harry looked at him directly in the eye.

"I never said you were a baby, Teddy. You are, by far, the bravest young man I have ever had the pleasure to meet. I am beyond proud to call you my godson. I look at you and… Merlin, Teddy, you look just like your dad. Your dad was the kindest and smartest man I ever had the honor to know. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss him… that I don't wish he were here to tuck you in at night instead of Ginny and myself." Harry licked his lips. "Every day, I try to raise you the way I think Remus would have wanted. I am not, Remus. I'll never _be_ him. But I do know what he would do if he were me."

"What's that?" Teddy whispered.

"He wouldn't allow you to go to the gala with Ginny and me." Harry squeezed his godson's knees. "There was a time when I was thirteen. There was a man who everyone thought wanted to kill me. I laughed it off and went on my merry way doing what I wanted to. I came into possession of a map of Hogwarts, a map that your father and mine created while at school. Hermione told me to turn it in, but I refused. I wanted to sneak out of the castle and have innocent fun. Your dad found me with the map. He was not pleased. He told me that the man trying to kill me was a very serious matter and that my parents gave their lives to save mine. I was repaying them by gambling with my life for treats and cheap thrills."

Teddy looked down at his shoes. Tears burned his amber eyes.

"Your parents died a noble death, Teddy. They died in hopes that their son would be able to live in a war-free world. I will not gamble your life for a night at a boring party. This whole Cronus business will all be over with soon and then you can come to all the boring parties you want with Ginny and me. I _promise_."

Slowly, Teddy's head nodded. He sniffed loudly and wrapped his arms around his godfather's neck. He murmured his apologies into the folds of Harry's robes. Harry hugged him back tightly and told him it was alright.

Glancing behind his godson's mess of sandy locks, Harry saw Ginny leaning against the doorframe of the bedroom. Her red hair was loosely pulled back into an elegant updo with stray curly strands framing her face. An emerald dress clung pleasantly to her thin waist.

After dropping Teddy off at George and Angelina's, they made their way in the Ministry-issued sedan to the gala. A herd of Aurors stood at the entrance to the ballroom, stiff and unwavering. Ginny handed their invitation to the wizards and proceeded in.

The room was already jam-packed with witches and wizards dancing, drinking, and eating at their assigned tables. Ginny kept close to Harry, her hand resting comfortably on his offered arm. There was one other stipulation that Harry made if they were to come to the party: Ginny had to stay close to him at all times.

"Oi! I'm glad you're here!"

The couple turned around to see Ron Weasley standing behind them with ears tinted red and jaw tight.

"Where's Hermione?" questioned Ginny.

"Talking to Slughorn. The bloody idiot snagged eighty or something. Still doesn't know my ruddy name and I'm the sixth most influential wizard in Britain! Beat him by a good seventy-something."

"How disappointing," Ginny replied sardonically.

"You look dreadful," Harry interrupted. "What's wrong?"

Ron scowled and jetted his chin to the left. Harry and Ginny both looked. Standing tall and muscular with his wiry hair was Cormac McLaggen. A broad smile was stretched on his lips as he laughed openly with Barnabas Cuffe.

"Bloody idiot," Ron hissed. "He made eighty-four, I think."

"Why do you care if McLaggen is here?" questioned Ginny.

"Why do I care? He _dated_ Hermione!"

"They never dated," stated Harry.

"They went to Slughorn's party together back in the day! They've _snogged_! If that's not dating, I don't know what is!"

Ginny laughed and, at the look Ron gave her, she promptly hid her face into Harry's arm. Trying to keep a straight face, Harry gave the most sympathetic look he could muster.

"I don't think you have to worry about Hermione and McLaggen," Harry said gently. "She thinks he's vile."

"Still… I reckon Hermione would be in a right state if Lavender was here," reasoned Ron.

"I highly doubt that," Ginny commented.

"It's just… Hermione's exes are all famous or prominent members in society. Who have I got? Lavender Brown who designs robes and dresses for a living," Ron said sullenly.

"She does design lovely things though," Ginny added. "I'm actually wearing one of Lavender's designs! I owled her with my predicament of not being able to leave the flat because Harry's a paranoid bugger and she sent this over to me at a discounted rate!"

Ron only scowled.

"Harry! Ginny! Willaby!"

Slughorn stumbled towards the small group. The champagne in his glass sloshed over the rim of the glass. Ron sulked away to find Hermione.

"Professor, it's good to see you," Harry said politely as he shook his hand.

"Professor," Ginny addressed with a nod.

The contents on the glass were quickly thrown back into Slughorn's eager throat. A waiter passed them and he clumsily placed the empty glass on the tray.

"I must say, Harry, m'boy, that Miss Weasley looks absolutely enchanting on your arm. She is, perhaps, the best accessory you could have."

A soft chuckle escaped Ginny's lips and Harry smiled courteously.

"I must confess, Professor Slughorn, that I keep Ginny around for more than just her stunning good looks."

Slughorn laughed boisterously and patted Ginny gently on the arm. Harry glanced around the room in hopes of finding a familiar face that would help them out of the overly polite conversation that he was trying to maintain.

"I have to inquire, you understand, for you two _are_ my favorite students, when you two will tie the knot? You've been dating for five years, am I correct?"

Harry glanced down at Ginny who was looking idly towards the couples spinning gracefully on the dance floor.

"Yes, err, five years is correct… give or take a few months," he replied awkwardly.

"When _are_ you two going to get engaged? Or… dear me, have you _already_ popped the question but want to keep it out of the public eye? I could see why! I have no doubt that your wedding would be in every paper, magazine, and even shown live on those new tellyvisions they have now. It would be the party of the century! I mean, the Chosen One and a Quidditch star?"

Harry frowned deeply, not doubting Slughorn's words.

"Uh, no. No. Just… waiting until it feels right." Harry smiled tightly. "I have a godson who lives with me, you know. I have to make sure it's all stable with him first."

"Oh, yes, yes. Remus Lupin's boy? Teddy, isn't it? I daresay, I hope I am still teaching at Hogwarts when he comes along. I'd love to have him attend Slug Club meetings." Slughorn winked. "He'll be great with godparents such as you two."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Professor," Ginny spoke tenderly, "but the Minister is waving Harry and me over."

Ginny tugged Harry with her across the room in the general direction where Kingsley was dancing with his wife. Looking back, Ginny ensured Slughorn moved onto his next conversation before faltering on the dance floor.

Harry wrapped his arm awkwardly around Ginny. Dancing was still foreign to him and he was convinced he had two left feet. If it would appease Ginny, however, he would happily embarrass himself in front of everyone.

Ever since his mission with Malfoy, Harry had been avoiding the topic of Cronus and would only answer her questions when she brought it up. He did not want to fight with her anymore about the affair. For a good week, the two had failed to fight at all. It seemed as though their relationship was back on track to the way it was before Cronus came into the picture.

The engagement ring burned in his pocket. He got into the habit of carrying it around with him wherever he would go partly because he didn't want her to find it in a drawer and partly because he didn't know exactly when or even how he wanted to propose.

Harry thought he'd go traditional and ask Mr. and Mrs. Weasley for their permission for Ginny's hand. Then, when the whole Cronus ordeal was over with, he'd take her to a fancy restaurant and pop the question. He already started to write the speech in his head and, no matter how many times he revised it, the proposal sounded cheesy.

"What are you thinking about?"

He looked down at her and smiled.

"Nothing," he replied.

"Nothing?" she raised her eyebrow elegantly.

"Just… trying to figure out how my mother ever got along with Slughorn," he said with a shrug.

Ginny, seemingly pleased with the answer, rested her head onto his chest. They swayed to the music. His chin rested onto her head. Breathing in her scent, he instantly relaxed in her arms.

Scanning the dance floor, Harry spotted Mr. and Mrs. Weasley dancing formally together. They were whispering and Mrs. Weasley's cheeks flushed. His eyes wandered again until he spotted Ron and Hermione. They were a good foot apart from each other. Ron was staring down at his feet, a look concentration etched onto his features. Hermione looked annoyed and kept trying to tug him closer.

Three songs later, Harry tugged Ginny along to find their table. Glancing at the place cards on the table at the front of the room, Harry immediately saw one that read _Harry Potter – Number 1_. The card to his left read _Ginny Weasley – Number 78_. To his right was _Kingsley Shacklebolt – Number 2_.

Ginny sank into her seat and tossed her name card into the center of the table. Taking his seat next to her, Harry glanced around the room.

"I wish Luna was here," Ginny commented.

"I don't think Luna will ever make the most influential list," Harry replied dryly as he reached for a roll in the middle of the table.

"Harry…?"

"Ginny…?"

She twisted to face him. Her hands reached out to grasp his into hers. He was forced to place the roll down as his breath caught in his throat.

"Slughorn brought up a good point…" she said slowly.

Harry remained silent.

"I just… five years _is_ a long time. I want to marry you, Harry."

"Give me some time, alright, Ginny? I love you and I am committed to you. I want to marry you. I do. It's just… with Cronus causing trouble and Andromeda's death still raw with Teddy… I want our wedding to be perfect. It's not a good time right now."

She nodded and forced a smile onto her face. Turning away, she focused her attention to her plate which was rapidly beginning to fill with food. Harry turned to his own plate, the weight of the ring in his pocket becoming nearly unbearable.

Soon everyone was taking their spots at the tables. Ron and Hermione joined them. Soon Kingsley and his wife did as well. Finally, Odin Vidar filled the last seat. The food was delicious as the seven made small talk and avoided all serious conversations.

Towards the end of the meal, the editor in chief Adele Pozzi of _Witch Weekly_ took the stage. The tip of her wand touched her throat. The plates started to vanish and their cups began to fill with more alcohol.

"Thank you all for attending the hundredth and fifth annual _Witch Weekly's_ 100 Most Influential Wizards of the United Kingdom Gala." Applause sounded throughout the room. "It is my pleasure to announce that for the first time since 1975 that all 100 wizards are in attendance tonight! The wizard who snagged the top spot needs no introduction. He is surely just as famous as Merlin himself! I am pleased to say that the man is just as great as the legend. Harry Po-"

A young witch hurried onto the stage causing Pozzi to take the wand off her throat. Furious, she glared at the newcomer for interrupting her speech. The woman grabbed Pozzi's wrist and touched the wand to her own throat.

"Everyone, remain calm," the girl spoke in a slightly robotic tone. "Don't bother withdrawing your wands. There is a shield surrounding the stage and your spells will not penetrate it."

"_Harry_!" Ginny hissed and gripped Harry's forearm.

Slowly, Harry withdrew his wand from his jacket pocket and held it tightly in his grasp under the table. His eyes flickered to Kingsley who did the same. Harry had no doubt that Ron and Vidar followed suit.

"Tonight's entertainment has arrived," the girl said with a smirk.

The chandeliers rattled above them before bursting into thousands of tiny pieces. Glass rained down upon them. Several people ducked under the tables while others attempted to cast shield charms. Harry was one to cast a shield charm but found his wand was not cooperating. His fingers laced around Ginny's wrist and pulled her to the ground, his body covered hers.

The largest chandelier in the middle of the dance floor tumbled to the ground. It connected with the hardwoods with a loud _clank_ and the glass darted in every direction.

"I think I forgot to mention that there is also an anti-magic shield surrounding you. Your wands are effectively useless."

The woman yanked Pozzi's wand out of her grasp and, with a flick of the wand, sent her flying onto the dance floor. She screamed in pain as shreds of glass embedded themselves into her skin.

Harry could feel Ginny trembling beneath him. He tightened his grip around her and rested his cheek upon her head.

"All for one and one for all!" an unfamiliar male voice shouted.

A man dressed in billowing, black robes entered onto the stage with his wand clenched in his hand. Long, dark hair was pulled back into a short ponytail. He was pale with heavy-lidded eyes. Harry knew immediately that the man was Cronus for his resemblance to the late Bellatrix Lestrange was striking. He embodied all of the good looks of the Black family – familiar gray eyes darted around the room. Harry's heart clenched.

A herd of man and woman followed behind him all in traditional white Death Eater masks. They surrounded Cronus, wands out and arms crossed over their chests.

"The United Kingdom's 100 most influential wizards…" Cronus trailed off with a smirk. "Your reputations precede you."

With a flick of his wand, the tables and chairs soared upwards. They lingered there seemingly glued to the ceiling. With a flick of a wand, the name cards rained from the sky.

Harry glanced over at Vidar who had his wand clenched tightly in his hand and his jaw squared. His eyes blazed furiously as he inched closely to the stage. His actions were extremely foolish as he'd be dead before he would even make it halfway to the stage. Harry could not warn him to stay put without drawing attention to their corner of the room. If Odin Vidar was irrational enough to play a martyr then Harry could not stop him.

Cronus scanned the room. His eyes rested on Harry and a sneer spread across his features. His gaze flickered to the flaming red hair that peeked out from underneath Harry.

"Harry Potter, so we meet at last. I daresay, I am rather disappointed that I do not have a good view of your girlfriend. I hear she puts up a good fight."

At the comment, Harry tightened his grip around Ginny so that she could not look up and give Cronus the satisfaction of seeing her. His body shifted slightly and covered up a little more of the slight figure below him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Vidar storm towards the stage with his wand out. Nobody made a move to stop him and Cronus merely glanced in his direction with amusement dancing in his eyes. Vidar's body collided with an invisible barrier. He was thrown backwards onto the dance floor right on top of the broken chandelier in the center. He grunted loudly.

"Anyone else want to attempt to play hero?" Cronus questioned. "Perhaps you, Harry? No? I hear you have quite a hero complex."

Harry remained silent. Hermione gave out a dry sob from the right. His eyes wandered to see Ron covering Hermione akin to how Harry was with Ginny. Hermione's russet eyes stared unblinkingly at Vidar.

"I implore you all to reevaluate your loyalties to your government," Cronus spoke gently. "The Ministry finds it fit to allow werewolves equal rights, monsters who would ravish your children into bits and pieces without a second thought. They deem Muggles on the same playing field as us. Why must we hide from such _vermin_? We are far more superior and advanced than they are. House elves have rights and require payment for their duties? Ludicrous! The old, traditional ways of our world have been thrown to the dogs. This new world order is spreading like wildfire. I will not stand for it. Your government, Minister Shacklebolt and Mister Potter, will backfire. I am a traditionalist and find these extreme liberal policies unnerving."

Ginny struggled underneath Harry's grasp. She wanted to look at Cronus, wanted to see what was going on. Harry held tight, however, and faltered her motions to move.

"I will liberate you all from your insufferable government with one, swift coup de grâce. I will finish what our gracious Dark Lord started. All I ask is for you to join me. I'm not a cruel dictator like Minister Shacklebolt – telling you how to act or else be thrown into Azkaban! Telling you to forgo our traditions for those inferior to us! Insanity! You'd never be forced to abandon our wizarding traditions with me in power! Join me or perish. You make the choice!"

The windows shattered loudly and rained down more glass upon the floor. People screamed and attempted to pull their clothes to cover their faces. The tables and chairs shook violently from above them and tumbled to the ground.

Harry jerked up and pulled Ginny out of the way just before their table slammed where they were crouched. The legs splintered off the tables and flew in multiple directions.

Flames erupted around the room in coiling strands. People were screeching and made a mad dash for the doors. Harry glanced at the stage to see that Cronus and his lackeys were Disapparating out of the ballroom.

Gripping Ginny's hand in his, he tugged her along behind him. They side-stepped the rising flames and hurried out of the ballroom with everyone else. Once outside, he turned to observe her. A large gash ran from her hairline down to the corner of her eye. The blood had caked onto her pale skin. Her dress was torn in several places but she was, essentially, unharmed.

Tenderly, he touched the end of the cut. She jerked back, wincing in pain. Wrapping her arms around herself, she shivered. Harry shrugged off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders before pulling her close to his chest.

"Mister Potter! Mister Potter!"

Turning his attention to the left, Harry saw Professor McGonagall rushing towards him. Small cuts littered her face. Hair gray hair was unraveling from its usual tight bun.

"Ramsey Henson," she said in a flustered tone. "Ramsey Henson of Slytherin, top of his class, excellent in Transfiguration and Charms. He was, by far, a model student."

"Ramsey Henson?" Harry whispered. "His name is Ramsey Henson?"

"I thought you'd like to know."

"Thank you, Professor. Are you alright?"

She nodded stiffly, her eyes glancing around at the mass of people on the grounds outside of the ballroom. Professor McGonagall rushed off to help those lying on the floor in need of medical attention.

Hermione and Ron were with the other Weasleys all whispering and hugging each other. Kingsley was crouching down to talk to Odin Vidar who had a herd of Healers surrounding him.

"I want to leave," Ginny whispered as she buried her face into the folds of his shirt. "I just want to get Teddy and go home."

Harry nodded. Everyone was quickly Disapparating from the scene or helping to get the injured to St. Mungo's. Tightening his grip around her shoulders, he Disapparated from the scene. He had things to do before it was too late. Plans were quickly being formulated in his mind and they would be carried out within the week.

Cronus was, Harry feared, more powerful than originally thought.

**Hope you enjoyed the new chapter. Please, leave a review! New chapter tomorrow!**


	9. Number 12 Grimmauld Place

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Eight: Number 12 Grimmauld Place"**

The furniture was covered in large, off-white cloths. Thick layers of dust were piled on top of the fabric. The house had the distinct smell of an elderly person. It was the scent that used to linger around his grandmum's house and the scent that currently resided in the Burrow.

Teddy tightened his grip around his godfather's hand. Several nights ago, Ginny and Harry returned home from the _Witch Weekly_ party covered in cuts and scratches with torn clothes and dismal faces. There was only one time that Teddy had been that scared, that was when Ginny was bleeding and wheezing in an alleyway after Cronus had attacked them.

Wizards and witches busied in and out of their flat for days with plots and plans and hushed whispers. That was how Teddy found himself in the decrepit house. Harry had told him in the most serious voice, _"The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix can be found at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Repeat that to me now."_ Teddy had, trying to mimic his godfather's tone.

Two houses peeled away from each other to reveal Number 12. The people through the windows did not seem bothered that their houses were moving. Teddy didn't know whether to laugh or be frightened. Before Grandmum died, Teddy would have thought it was a neat trick and begged his godfather to do it again. Nowadays, he didn't know _what_ to trust anymore.

The front door behind them burst open. Chattering flooded through the house. Teddy whipped around to see the familiar face of Luna Lovegood, her boyfriend, and a man who sometimes visited Harry.

"Hullo, Harry," Luna greeted in a dreamy tone.

"Luna, thanks for coming."

Harry's hand slipped from his godson's. He rushed forward to hug Luna and then shake the hands of the two men.

"Teddy," his godfather addressed him, "you remember Luna and Rolf?"

"Hi." He smiled sweetly at them.

Luna knelt down, her blonde hair sweeping the floor. Her eyes were wide and Teddy swore radishes were dangling from her ears. Teddy licked his lips, his gaze seeking the comfort of Harry.

"Harry told me the eyeglass has been working for you. Rolf inherited it from his grandfather. He found it in his travels to America. We both thought it would be better for you to have than us."

"Uh, yeah. Bad people glow red," Teddy said lamely.

"Beware of the yellow orbs," Rolf now spoke and crouched down next to Luna. "It's a warning. They may not want to hurt you but they have a disposition for hurt within them. They could easily turn red."

Teddy nodded. He didn't exactly know what Rolf was talking about. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the eyeglass. He clenched it within his fingers, his eyes burning into the pair in front of him.

"It saved Ginny's life," he spoke quietly, barely above a whisper.

"Then, I think we made the right choice by giving it to you," Rolf responded.

"Thank you," responded Teddy.

He had the sudden urge to hug the two near strangers in front of him but thought better of it. The pair stood up, Luna's hand reaching out to squeeze his godfather's arm. Harry's expression was unreadable, vacant. Teddy slid the eyeglass back in his pocket. He'd take good care of it. He didn't want to disappoint Luna, Rolf, or Rolf's grandfather by losing or breaking it.

"This is Neville Longbottom. We work together at the Ministry," Harry said as he pointed to the other man, the faraway look still plastered on his features.

"Hi," Teddy said again as he glanced around at the faces in front of him.

"Merlin, Harry, every time I see Teddy, he looks more and more like Professor Lupin," Neville commented with a wide smile.

Teddy smiled tightly in his direction before wandering away from the adults. He looked around the entranceway with mild interest. The wallpaper was yellowing and peeling away to reveal weathered bricks underneath. A large portrait hung on the wall with a dusty curtain covering it. Teddy peered at it and reached out a hand to poke it when someone grabbed his wrist.

Jumping around with a shriek dying in his throat, he saw Mrs. Weasley standing behind him with a stern look that clearly read _don't touch anything_. It was scary how his Grandmum and Mrs. Weasley shared the same looks.

"Harry, dear, is everyone here yet? People are getting anxious," Mrs. Weasley said in a sweet voice as she pulled Teddy close to her in a one armed hug.

"Nearly," he replied. "One more person is coming and we can't start without him. Could you show Luna, Rolf, and Neville to the kitchen? I'm going to wait for him."

"Of course. Teddy, you're to go upstairs. There's a bedroom on the first floor. Victoire is already up there."

"I wanna stay with Harry," he replied quite adamantly.

Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth as though to shout so Teddy threw his godfather a pleading look.

"He can stay with me until the meeting starts. Then, it's straight upstairs."

For a moment, he thought Mrs. Weasley was going to argue with Harry. Her lips were drawn into a thin line and her head was cocked slightly to the right. Instead, she motioned for Luna, Rolf, and Neville to follow her down a staircase.

"When you go upstairs," Harry started with a grimace, "promise me you won't look at the walls."

"Why?"

"Because I daresay they will give you a fright."

Teddy's bottom lips slipped between his teeth. It was a habit he picked up ever since Grandmum died because bad news seemed to be at every turn. He glanced up at his godfather through his sandy fringe. Several of the cuts on his face were scabbing over. A large bruise peeked out from under his godfather's t-shirt. It was slowly turning a sickening yellow.

"Harry, where _are_ we?"

"I own this house," he replied miserably.

"You _bought_ a house? Are we going to be living here?" Teddy asked in mild disgust.

"No, Teddy," Harry chuckled softly. "I inherited the house."

Narrowing his eyes in confusion, Teddy shook his head to tell his godfather he didn't understand what that meant at all.

"You see, when people die, they have what's called a last will and testament. In a person's will, they leave their possession and money to people. When my godfather died, he left me this house in his will along with all of his money and everything else he owned."

"So…" Teddy's brow furrowed, "your godfather bought a house and left it to you?"

"Well, he didn't buy the house either. He inherited the house from his parents when they died."

"So, basically, a lot of people died and the house just passed on to different people and that's why it smells like old people and is all dusty?"

Harry laughed.

"Exactly."

"Harry?"

"Mmm?"

"Am I going to inherit this house some day?"

"Probably," he replied thoughtfully. "Unless I burn it down to collect the insurance money."

Before Teddy could question what that meant, the doorbell rang. Harry jumped which, in turn, made his godson jump with him. Harry looked from the door to the curtain-covered portrait as though he didn't know which one to go to. He chose the door which Teddy thought was smart.

A tall, thin man stood in the doorway. Platinum blonde hair was combed neatly on top of his head. His features were prominent and pointed at sharp angles.

Harry stepped aside to allow the man entrance. The stranger strolled inside with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his black robes. Cold, gray eyes surveyed the house until they landed upon Teddy. His face was void of any expression but he stared none-the-less. Teddy squirmed.

"Malfoy, this is my godson T-"

"I don't care," the man called Malfoy interrupted loudly.

Teddy wished the man would stop staring at him. His eyes desperately sought out Harry who was staring at the stranger with a hard look.

"A son of a werewolf." He sneered. "Shouldn't be allowed to breed if you ask me."

"No one asked you," Harry hissed through gritted teeth.

Finally, the stranger's eyes drifted away to look at Harry. Teddy let out a breath he did not know he was holding.

"Teddy, go upstairs with Victoire. Stay up there until someone comes to get you," Harry said harshly, his eyes never leaving Malfoy.

He scampered off to the staircase. His hand gripped the railing tightly. Looking behind his shoulder, he saw his godfather and the man squared off against each other with clenched jaws and sneers. Hurrying up the stairs as fast as he could, Teddy wished he hadn't.

Tacked onto the peeling paper on large wooden plagues were heads. Except, they weren't human heads but that wasn't a comforting feeling. They were heads of creatures that Teddy had never seen before in his life. Their eyes were large and lifeless. Their mouths hung open and their blackened tongues were just barely visible through the gums. Large, floppy ears protruded from their heads.

Teddy ran down the hallway until he reached the bedroom. Once inside, he slammed the door shut. His breathing was jagged and his heart was beating so fast that it felt as though it were going to burst through his ribcage at any second.

Turning around, he noted Victoire sitting in the middle of the floor. There was a picture book resting in her hands and her face was so close to the pages that her nose was touching. What puzzled Teddy most was that the book was upside down. He didn't mention it to her though.

After what seemed like forever of squirming and being bored, shouts and screams floated from the downstairs. Teddy and Victoire crept quietly to the door and stepped out. The heads on the walls were staring down at them, but Teddy paid no attention. He was more concerned at what was going on.

Reaching behind him, he gripped Victoire's hand into his. She was making stifled mousy noises. Her body was pressed up against his back. They inched down the hallway and peered down the stairwell.

The pasty blonde man stormed up the stairs into the main hall. His cheeks were painted a flushed red. His wand was clenched at his side. Teddy stepped to the right to cover as much of Victoire as was humanly possible.

A blur of messy black hair charged up the stairs and gripped Malfoy by the elbow and whipped him around. Harry stared at him, jaw tight and eyes blaring. Teddy had never seen his godfather so angry before.

"I'm_ done_," Malfoy hissed.

"You can't be done!" Harry shot back. "You made me the Unbreakable Vow. You stop now, you'll end up six feet under."

Teddy crouched down and pulled Victoire with him. They could not be seen. Harry would be upset if they were caught eavesdropping.

"I will not tolerate Weasley's snide comments!"

Victoire made a strangled sob in the back of her throat. Whipping around, Teddy clamped a hand over her lips. Her eyes were larger than usual and illuminated oddly under the green-tinted lighting. They were staring at something beyond him and it was causing her chest to heave and tears to brim her eyes.

Glancing behind them, Teddy noted the ugly heads on the walls. Victoire apparently had not seen them on her original journey upstairs. The very sight of them was scaring her silly.

Teddy let his hand slip from her mouth. He pulled the tiny girl into his arms akin to how Harry and Ginny would hold him whenever he was upset. Her fists clenched the fabric of his t-shirt. He could feel her wet tears soak through his shirt. She stayed silent, however, and that was all Teddy wanted.

Turning his attention back to his godfather and Malfoy, they were not the only ones who had gathered in the tiny entrance hall. Victoire's dad was there, his red hair tied back at the nape of his neck. His arms were crossed and his eyes surveyed the scene in front of him. A strict-looking woman stood next to him. Peppered hair was pulled back into a tight bun and moon-shaped glasses slide down her nose. Behind them was Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Mister Malfoy," the woman started, "often the right thing to do is the hardest to accomplish. Severus Snape knew what he was getting himself into the moment he signed away his allegiance to Albus Dumbledore."

"I'm not Snape!" he hollered. "Potter isn't Dumbledore!"

Suddenly more screams could be heard from somewhere downstairs. Nobody paid attention to them. _Mudbloods! Blood traitors! Abominations! _Teddy craned his neck to see if there was anyone else there but failed to spot anyone.

"Nobody said you and he were," Bill Weasley said softly as Mrs. Weasley and Fleur ran past the group. Perhaps, they had heard the screaming.

"You agreed, Draco," Kingsley said calmly. "You agreed and now you must follow through with our plans."

"He'll kill me!" Malfoy shouted. "He'll kill me as soon as he finds out I'm playing double agent!"

"It would seem, Mister Malfoy, that your ambitions outweigh your drive to achieve them," the woman said sympathetically.

"I'll talk to Ron," Harry added. "He'll keep his mouth shut at meetings."

Somebody moved from the stairwell behind Kingsley. A flash of red appeared and Teddy noticed that Ginny had joined the group. She threw a glance at the people but moved on. By the time Teddy realized that she was coming up the stairs to check on him and Victoire, it was too late. She spotted them squatting at the top of the stairs.

She shooed them away from the stairs and into the bedroom they were supposed to be in. Following behind them, she snapped the door shut quietly.

"You two were told to stay here," she said softly.

"Sorry," Teddy replied lamely.

A guilty smile crossed his features as he looked up at Ginny. A faint line still shone brightly on her face from the cut she had received earlier. He had watched Harry try to heal the cut at home with his wand.

"You need to stop listening in on conversations that have nothing to do with you, Teddy," she said lightly. "If we don't tell you something, there's a reason for it."

"Ginny, it's not fair," he said stubbornly.

"There are a lot of things that aren't fair." She frowned. "You wouldn't know what's going on."

"I know you and Harry got hurt."

"We did," she whispered and closed the space between them. "We don't want _you_ getting hurt."

Her soft hands enclosed over his. Victoire, feeling left out, crawled between them and flung her arms around her aunt's neck. One of Ginny's hands left Teddy's to circle around Victoire's waist.

Teddy nodded despite himself. The door creaked open and Harry stood in the doorway. He propped his body against the frame and crossed his arms. Teddy wanted to run to him but kept still. Was he angry that they were eavesdropping?

"Gins, can you take Victoire downstairs? I'd like to talk to Teddy."

Leaning forward, Ginny gave him a quick peck on the cheek before standing up. She swung Victoire up in the air and settled the girl on her hip. They ambled out of the room, stopping briefly so Ginny could whisper something into Harry's ear. He nodded before stepping inside the bedroom and closing the door.

"The summer before my fifth year at Hogwarts, I stayed in this house with the Weasleys and my godfather. This room was Ginny and Hermione's. Ron and I shared a bedroom upstairs."

Harry crossed the room and sat down on the nearest bed. The springs screeched in protest at the weight. Teddy slowly walked towards his godfather and climbed up on the mattress to sit next to him. His feet dangled off the side and swung lazily. His trainers hit the wooden frame rhythmically.

"Those were dark times, Teddy," he whispered. "It was filled with taboos, snatchers, disappearances, and death. I know you don't understand why you're not allowed to know what is going on. I would be upset if I were you. You see Ginny and I coming home bloody and cut up. It would terrify anyone."

Teddy glanced over at his godfather. His legs stopped swinging and a lump formed in his throat.

"I'm trying my best to ensure that those times don't repeat themselves. That doesn't mean that I don't have enough time for you or that I don't care what is going on in your life. I wasn't the first person to notice you suddenly stopped changing your appearance. Is that by choice?"

Teddy's lip found itself tucked securely between his teeth. His heart was hammering in his chest. He shook his head in the negative.

"Your mother's abilities were affected by her emotions. When she was incredibly upset, she could not change her appearance at will anymore."

Tears were burning his eyes. Harry was all fuzzy and a giant blob next to him. The tears ran down his face.

"What's wrong, Teddy?"

A comforting hand found itself on his back. Harry rubbed circles until he gently squeezed his godson's neck.

"Grandmum is dead," he gasped out between stifled sobs. "You and Ginny are always hurt. Cronus wants us all dead. I want my mum and dad and grandmum!"

Teddy collapsed into his godfather's arms and soaked his shirt. He shook violently. All of his anger, frustration, and grief were rolling out in giant waves. They wrecked through his body and left him feeling exhausted.

Teddy didn't remember leaving Grimmauld Place and arriving back at their flat. His eyes opened to find himself curled up in his own bed with the covers wrapped carefully around his body. Moony was stuffed under the crook of his arm. Across the room, the Holyhead Harpies dolls were playing a game of Quidditch silently on top of his dresser. The clock on his nightstand glowed and read 1:25.

Blinking back sleep, he carefully extracted himself from the covers. Sliding off the bed, his feet hit the cool hardwood floors with a soft _thump_. With Moony clenched tightly in his arms, he padded out of his room.

The living room light was on. He crept along the wall to see the back of his godfather's head on the couch. The television was off and the paper lay discarded on the end table. Ginny was no where to be seen.

He ambled into the living room and his godfather turned almost immediately. His eyes were lackluster behind his thick, black glasses. His hair lay rumbled on his head more than usual. Dark circles resided under his eyes.

On the coffee table lay a stone basin that Teddy had seen on several occasions in the past. He never knew what it did and never asked. Somehow, before, it never seemed important enough for questions.

He sat down on the couch next to his godfather, his gaze situated on the basin. Peering into it, he saw a swirl of a man laughing. The man looked oddly like his father. This only made his heart race in anticipation.

"This is a Pensieve," Harry commented as he inclined his head towards the basin. "It allows a person to store their memories. Once the memories are in the Pensieve, you can watch them sort of like a moving picture at the theater."

Teddy nodded. He had been to a Muggle movie theater many times before. Ginny and Harry used to take him sometimes on the weekend. The first time they went, Harry had a deep discussion with Ginny on how it actually worked afterwards. Teddy didn't pay any attention to that.

"I don't have very many memories of your mum," Harry said sadly. "I do have quite a few with your dad. I stored my favorite memory I have of your dad in the Pensieve. I thought we could watch it together."

Teddy was on the edge of the cushion. Moony was long forgotten next to him. Taking Harry's hand, the two leaned over the Pensieve and found themselves falling in. Teddy closed his eyes tightly until he felt the ground beneath his feet once more.

Cracking an eye open, he was standing in a kitchen. A teenage version of his godfather sat at the kitchen table with a mug laced between his fingers. Teddy let go of present-time Harry and wandered to give his younger version a good glance over.

The younger version of Harry looked just like older Harry. They had the same untidy mop of black hair. Thick, black glasses sat perched on their pale noses. The lightning bolt scar shone brightly through the fringe of their bangs. The only difference was that younger Harry looked more miserable than his godfather.

The door to the kitchen swung open and a man stepped inside. Long, black hair was tied messily into a ponytail. Pale eyes glanced lovingly at younger Harry. He took a seat next to him, a sad smile etched onto his face.

"What are you doing up?" the man asked.

"Couldn't sleep," Harry mumbled.

"Bad dream?"

Harry did not respond.

"Yeah, me too," the man said as he flicked his wand and a cup of tea came soaring through the air and planted itself in front of him.

"That's my godfather Sirius Black," older Harry spoke up.

Teddy turned to his right to see his godfather standing next to him, his hands in his pockets. An unreadable expression flashed across his face.

The door to the kitchen opened once more and Teddy froze at the man who entered. His hair was sandy and streaked with gray. Amber eyes shone brightly under the pale lighting in the kitchen. Lines covered his face.

"Daddy?" whispered Teddy.

"Glad to see you all waited up for me," his dad said with a tired smile.

"Where were you?" questioned Harry.

"Order business," he replied with a wave of the hand and sat down across from Harry and Sirius as he took flicked his wand for a cup of tea.

Teddy inched forward and slid into the empty seat next to his father. His gaze did not leave his dad. He had seen pictures before but never had he seen his father so up close and personal. Everyone was right, he _did_ look a great deal like his dad.

They had the same hair, the same eyes, the same nose, and even the same lips. The only difference between them was his dad's various scarring and age lines.

"We weren't waiting up for you," Sirius supplied, "because you would not approve of our topic of conversation."

"Why is this giving me horrifying flashbacks to a less than ingenious idea that you and James cooked up that would land us in detention?" his father pushed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sirius replied with a ghost of a smile appearing on his features. "You've started to lose your memory in your old age. All that gray hair is getting to you."

Teddy propped his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands. His eyes bore into his father with curiosity and love. He was only vaguely aware that his godfather took a seat next to him at the table.

"You know, Harry, there was a time when Remus used to be fun," Sirius continued with a smirk, "a time when he wasn't so serious and brooding and wasn't dead tired at one in the morning."

"I wish I could tell a _there was a time_ story about Sirius, but I'm afraid, Harry, that your godfather has always been childish and annoying," his father replied playfully.

"Touché, Moony!"

"Thank you, Padfoot."

"I'll take any stories about when you guys were at Hogwarts," Harry spoke up with a smile in his eyes. "I mean, if Remus isn't too tired."

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh and wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders. Even his father chuckled and leaned back in his chair until he was balancing on its hind legs.

"Which one should we tell him?" Sirius thought out loud.

"As long as it doesn't involve your escapades with girls, I am game for anything."

"I think we should tell him the story of the dare war."

"Dare war?" Harry asked excitedly.

"Yes, you see, Lily and James had this phase at the end of our sixth year when they dared each other to do outrageous things," Sirius supplied.

"Somehow, we got roped into the dare war," his dad replied with a frown. "I don't like this story."

"Of course, you wouldn't! Just wait until you hear the dare James gave Remus."

"Merlin, I hated James for weeks after that."

"Until he sent you a bouquet of chocolate flowers and all was forgiven."

"I didn't care for the flower aspect of it. I was more interested in the chocolate."

Teddy listened rapidly to the tales of the Marauders. His smile grew larger at every word and his gaze never left his father's face. Halfway through the first story, his godfather had gathered Teddy up in his arms and situated him in his lap. The two cuddled up together and listened to the tales of their fathers at school. All the worries of attacks, deaths, and Cronus slipped from Teddy's mind.

**Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Please, leave a review with your thoughts. I love reading them! I have up to chapter 12 finished and am currently still writing. Since we're close to that point, I'll spread out updating a little. I'll update the next chapter on Friday!**


	10. The Siege

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Nine: The Siege"**

It had been a month of bi-weekly Order meetings and pulling extra hours at the Auror office. During that time, there was not a peep from Cronus. People were growing anxious, fearing a large scale attack was eminent. There was nothing even from Draco Malfoy who had only been summoned to Cronus on several occasions to discuss plans to infiltrate Azkaban. No definite dates or means were discussed. Therefore, extra security measures were put into effect around the clock.

Fearing he would draw unwanted attention to himself and Dudley, Harry dropped out of his duty as a groomsman. He did not, however, decline to attend the wedding.

Harry's eyes adverted from his reflection to see his godson lounging on the bed behind him. Teddy was growing restless because he was only allowed to be at the flat, the Burrow, and Grimmauld Place. His cravings for information only grew. Harry knew that Teddy was picking up his facts secondhand through hushed whispers at the Burrow and shouting matches at Grimmauld Place.

At headquarters, Malfoy and Ron failed to get along. They often snapped at each other and slipped in snide comments every chance they could during meetings. Harry vaguely wondered how Dumbledore put up with Sirius and Snape.

"Harry?"

Snapping out of his reverie, Harry glanced at his godson's reflection. The boy was rolling on the bed, half of his body leaning dangerously off the edge. Moony was long forgotten behind him but the eyeglass was clenched in his fist.

"Mmm?"

Harry adjusted his tie. The bottom flap was longer than the front one. Groaning inwardly, he started the process over.

"Can I go to the wedding? Dudley _did_ invite me."

Teddy's lips were pursed together in a pout. His eyes grew large and moist. Harry had no doubt that George had been teaching Teddy the fine art of getting what one wants.

"I wish you could, but it's not safe."

"You and Ginny are going!" Teddy pointed out

"Just tell him," Ginny's voice rang.

Snapping his attention to the doorway, Ginny stood there in a little black dress with strands of pearls draped around her slender neck. Her vibrant red locks were curled in waves that hung elegantly around her features.

"Tell me _what_?"

Teddy bounced on the balls of his feet, his hands in front of him to keep his balance.

"Yeah, tell him what exactly?" inquired Harry.

"Something to put his mind at ease," replied Ginny.

She crossed the room and settled herself next to Teddy. He immediately clamored on her lap and leaned back against her. Ginny and Teddy were quickly becoming inseparable. Harry spent so much time at work and, with the Quidditch season slowly dying down as the European semi-finals were nearly finished, Ginny was often home and taking care of Teddy.

There was a tinge of guilt and jealousy that burned deep within him. He had not been there for Teddy in the last several weeks. Cronus had consumed his life and his work quickly became his number one priority. At the same time, he hated not being the one that Teddy would run to anymore. More often than not, he would run to Ginny before seeking out Harry nowadays.

"What do you suggest?" questioned Harry.

He leaned backwards and the edge of the vanity dug into his back. Over the years, he liked to assume that he was getting better at being a parental figure to the tiny boy. It was something he had to work hard at because he did not know any warm, loving parental figures growing up. With Ginny, it came so easily to her. She knew exactly what to say and do to make Teddy feel instantly better.

"Tell him why Cronus is after us," she said gently as her fingers ran through his hair.

Teddy glanced at Harry through lidded eyes. No matter how full of energy he was, fingers through his hair made him sleepy.

"That's complicated," he replied with a frown.

"Simplify it then."

Harry ran a frustrated hand through his unruly hair. He did not have time to spill out the sob story that was his life. Not to mention, Teddy was only five years old.

"You know my parents died when I was a baby… it was because of me-"

"Don't blame yourself," snapped Ginny gently.

"I'm telling the story, Ginny." Harry sighed. "He murdered my parents because of a prophecy."

"What's a pro-so-phy?" inquired Teddy, his head lifting off Ginny's shoulder.

"It's a story that tells the future," whispered Ginny.

"Lord Voldemort didn't like this prophecy. So, he went after my parents to get to me. He wanted to kill me so the prophecy couldn't come true. My mother died to save me so he disappeared for a really long time and I became famous."

"You were famous 'cause he couldn't kill you?" Teddy asked confused.

"I was the first person to ever survive the Killing Curse."

"There's a Killing Curse?"

Harry glanced up at Ginny with annoyance washing over him.

"Not everyone is nice," she stated as she held Harry's gaze. "Not all magic is good. There was an original Order of the Phoenix lead by a man named Dumbledore. Your parents fought for what was right. Now, Harry and I are fighting for what is right. Your godfather is the most powerful wizard in Britain… nobody can beat him so don't you worry one bit about him."

Teddy nodded, his eyes narrowed at he stared at his godfather as though he were about to accomplish some great magic that nobody had ever seen before. When Harry failed to do anything spectacular, Teddy slid off Ginny's lap and padded down the hallway to his room to finish packing his bag. He was due to spend the night with Ron and Hermione. It was somewhere new for him at least.

Not wanting to attract any unwanted attention, Harry learned to drive a Muggle car. After sending Teddy thru the floo, Ginny and Harry made their way to the parking garage under the apartment complex. At the end, hidden away in the shadows, was a 2001 Ford Mondeo.

Ginny cautiously hauled her frame into the passengers' seat, her fingers quickly buckling herself in. Her wand lay on her lap. Harry took his spot behind the wheel, the feeling still uncomfortable and foreign.

After the war, he asked Hagrid for Sirius' old enchanted motorbike. Arthur Weasley helped him repair the thing. He learned to drive and fly the bike. It brought back nostalgic memories of childhood dreams where the wind blew through his hair and tickled his skin. Ginny only agreed to go on the bike if they flew. She did not trust Muggle motorists.

"You're sure you can drive in London traffic?" questioned Ginny as he twisted the key in the ignition.

"Positive."

"Why can't we just fly the bike or Apparate? Nobody is going to notice if we lack a car."

Slowly, Harry pulled out of his parking spot and eased back in the leather seat.

"Because we're going to a Muggle wedding, Gins."

"So, we could have flown the motorbike to Surrey and then landed around the block and drove."

Harry said nothing as he pulled out onto the busy streets of London. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Ginny tensed in the seat.

"You've ridden in a Ministry-issued car plenty of times," he countered.

"Yeah, but they're enchanted like the Knight Bus so accidents are nonexistent. This car is not enchanted and you're driving."

"What's wrong with the way I drive?"

Gripping the wheel, he sat up straighter as he maneuvered through the traffic. Suddenly, he felt self-conscious behind the wheel.

"It's not so much how you drive but more so of how Muggles drive." Ginny leaned forward and squinted out the front window.

"Just try to relax, okay? It's just like flying a broom."

Ginny eased back in her seat and watched the cars weaving through traffic. Her fingers curled around the armrest until her knuckles were porcelain. Slowly, she relaxed when accidents failed to occur.

Parking the car in the filled lot of the church, Harry gripped Ginny's hand tightly and walked briskly to the front doors. Unconsciously, his eyes darted around as though he half expected Cronus to jump out from a tree or his lackeys to hurl Killing Curses at them.

The church was stuffy inside. Perspiration ran down the back of his neck and his bangs were quickly being plastered to his forehead effectively hiding his scar.

Aunt Marge sat up front, taking up a whole pew to herself. No one dared to squeeze in next to her. Harry tugged Ginny along to the middle section behind all of the Dursleys' acquaintances and business associates. He did not recognize anyone except for Aunt Marge.

Glancing around the room, he scanned for his aunt, uncle, and cousin. They were nowhere to be seen. Ginny huddled close to him, her fingers itching towards her wand to cast a cooling spell. Harry shot her a look when he saw it peek out of her clutch.

"Harry!"

Turning around, Harry saw his red-faced cousin waddling towards their pew. Not far behind him were Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Harry stood up, reaching out a hand to drag Ginny with him.

"Dudley, congrats."

Harry held out his hand and shook Dudley's firmly. When the contact was broken, he gently pushed Ginny in front. She smiled nervously at him and held out her hand.

"Ginny Weasley, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Uncle Vernon was looming behind Dudley, his beady eyes narrowed and mouth drawn in a thin line. Peeking out from behind him was Aunt Petunia who stared at Ginny suspiciously.

"Now, you listen here boy, there will be no funny business from you," Uncle Vernon whispered with a porky finger pointed at his nephew.

"Dad," Dudley said, "don't. I wanted Harry here."

"Ginny Weasley." She stepped in front of Harry and extended her hand to his uncle. "You've met my dad and some of my brothers before."

When he did not accept her hand, she withdrew it to flick her curls behind her shoulder. Her eyes wandered to Aunt Petunia and she smiled sweetly.

"Vernon, let's take our seats," Aunt Petunia said stiffly.

The two ambled away towards Aunt Marge. Dudley lingered behind, a lop-sided grimace dancing across his face. Harry didn't exactly know why his cousin was trying so hard to have solid, familiar ties with him. It was odd to say the least but at the same time a silent blessing. Harry had family ties with the Weasleys but they were not blood. Dudley was his flesh and blood. There was a part of Harry that could not deny the small pit of joy that erupted in his stomach at the very thought of having Dudley be on friendly terms with him.

Dudley waved goodbye feebly as he marched down the aisle to the priest. Harry stood there, hands in his pockets, as his eyes wandered around the church once more. Aunt Petunia was craning her neck to stare at Ginny. When she caught Harry looking at her, she quickly turned around in her seat and waved at her son.

Ginny tugged Harry down into the pew. Her head rested on his shoulder as her fingers absentmindedly tickled his thigh.

The organ in front of the room burst to life and Harry only half-heartedly watched the wedding party march down the aisle. None of Dudley's groomsmen were his old bullying friends from school. They were replaced with clean-cut looking businessmen. The bridesmaids were dressed in flowing lilac gowns and looked like cookie-cutter suburban girls.

The Wedding March began to play and Claire stepped through the wooden doors. She was tall, all legs and barely any torso. Blonde hair was twisted on the nape of her neck. Her pale skin illuminated brightly under the lighting. Blue eyes sparkled as she looked around at her friends and family. Her eyes landed on Harry and her head cocked to the side in confusion. Her eyes snapped away from him to glance up at Dudley.

The ceremony dragged on for a half hour. Harry squirmed in his seat at the heat that was baking down on him. Ginny leaned back, her legs spreading open slightly seeking for some relief.

After the rings were slipped on and the kiss planted, Dudley and Claire marched up the aisle arm-in-arm with large smiles gracing their features. Harry tugged Ginny up to stand so they could clap with the rest of the guests.

The reception was across the street at a swanky dining hall. The floor was cleared in the middle for dancing. All around the clearing were round tables for the guests with a large, rectangular table for the wedding party. Fine linens covered up the tables and large vases filled with flowers served as centerpieces. At the banquet table was a large, frozen sculpture of a swan.

Harry had no doubt that Aunt Petunia helped plan the décor.

"I can't believe it was a sauna in that church," Ginny hissed as she let Harry lead her to their table. Harry recognized none of the other names on the name cards but assumed he was placed with some friends of Dudley and Claire's. He was greatly relieved he was not placed at the same table of Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and Aunt Marge.

"Gins…"

"I'm surprised that sculpture didn't melt to death in this heat. If you would have just let me-"

"Dudley!"

Harry smiled warmly at his cousin and held out a hand to congratulate him. His gaze wandered to Claire who stared at him wide-eyed and pale.

"This is my wife Claire," Dudley introduced proudly as he pushed her forward. "Claire, this is my cousin Harry and his girlfriend Ginny."

"You're… you're Harry Potter," Claire whispered.

Her hands clamped over her mouth. Harry glanced at Ginny before looking back at Claire.

"What did you say?" he questioned.

"How do you know Harry?" Dudley butted in with his brows furrowing.

"My mother was Emmeline Vance," she replied in a shaky voice. "She died when I was thirteen. I was three years behind you in school… a Ravenclaw. When You-Know-Who took over the Ministry, my dad knew it was only a matter of time before he came after us. He's a Muggle so we got out of the country as fast as we could. I threw out my wand when I was fourteen before we got on the airplane."

Harry could hear the blood pumping in his ears. He could not move, could not speak, could not do anything. Emmeline Vance's face flashed in front of his eyes. He remembered her from his Advance Guard back when he was fifteen and remembered seeing her sporadically at headquarters. He remembered reading about her death in the Daily Prophet and feeling frustrated not because a life was lost but because Voldemort had one-upped the Order once again.

"I remember her," he said softly once he found his voice. "She was in the Order of the Phoenix."

"You're a… a… _witch_?" Dudley uttered in hushed tones as his eyes darted around the reception hall.

"I was. I'm not anymore."

Ginny stepped forward and pulled the younger girl into an embrace. Black, mascara tears ran down her porcelain face. Harry felt a knot twisting in his abdomen. He could not bear to look at Dudley.

After a quick trip to the ladies' room with Ginny, the two girls walked back into the reception hall with large smiles on their faces and chuckles on their tongues. Extending a hand to Ginny, Harry led her to the dance floor.

Her body was pressed firmly against his. One hand lay comfortably on the small of her back and the other clenched her hand into his. Every time Ginny was in his arms, Harry felt like he had won the lottery. All of his worries seemed to slip away when they were together.

Ginny leaned her head forward to rest comfortably on his chest. He laid his chin gently on top of her curly red head. Looking around the room, he saw Dudley cautiously dancing with Claire as though he thought he would squash her feet with a misstep. He tried to shove Claire's witch identity to the back of his mind. She did not want to be a witch anymore, chose to marry a Muggle, and wanted nothing to do with their world. Harry wanted nothing more than to warn her of the dangers ahead, of Cronus, to have her join the Order so she could protect herself and Dudley. He knew, with one look from Ginny, he was to say nothing. Not far from them, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon swayed half-heartedly together. Large smiles graced their features as they excitedly chattered and stole glances at their son.

An aching twisted his insides. At his own wedding, he would not have parents that would beam proudly at him. He would have no godfather who would pat him on the shoulder and tell him to treat his wife right. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were the closest thing he had to parents. On his wedding day, however, they would be beaming at their daughter and not him.

The engagement ring weighed heavily in the pocket of his dress pants. He did not want to propose until after Cronus was taken care of. He did not want to make promises that he may not be able to keep. There was, however, an overwhelming urge to drop down on one knee in the middle of the dance floor and declare his love to the redhead in his arms. She made him feel things that he never thought possible.

She was perfect in every way. She was the final puzzle piece that would make him complete. Teddy adored her as well and she treated him as though he were her own. They could make a small, unconventional family together and be insanely happy.

The large chandelier above them shook violently. Harry and Ginny instantly stopped swaying to glance up. The crystals vibrated as the ceiling pulsed at the collar. Grabbing Ginny by the wrist, he tugged her out from underneath the chandelier.

"Get out of the way!" shouted Harry. "It's going to fall!"

The couples scurried away; surprised shrieks emitted from their lips. Harry stole a glance at his cousin who was glancing up at the ceiling. His face lost all of its color. Turning back to the chandelier, a loud _CRASH!_ sounded throughout the room.

Standing on the arms of the chandelier was Cronus. A smirk graced his features and his wand was clenched tightly in his right hand.

Harry pushed Ginny behind him and whipped out his wand. People were screaming and running for cover. Some were scampering pass Harry to get to the door. There was a loud _BANG!_ from behind which made Harry jump and whirl around.

Witches and wizards ambled into the hall with wands out and white masks covering up their identities. His eyes glanced over the bodies trying to spot a tall, thin man with platinum blonde hair. Draco Malfoy was, apparently, absent from the raid.

Turning his attention to Cronus, Harry made sure his back was flush with Ginny's. They were the only two who could take on a room full of crazies. Harry silently cursed himself. He should have kept the detail on Dudley for the day. He never imagined that Cronus would expose himself to Muggles, especially not so early. He thought, worst case, a few of his cronies may show up and Harry could easily take them on. Ginny was a fair fighter and could produce mean hexes. She was, regrettably, rubbish at complex and vastly damaging curses.

Plots and plans spiraled out of control in Harry's mind. He was taught in Auror training to come up with all possible battle plans. The only ones springing to mind were dismal at best. They needed backup.

Silently, Harry waved his wand high in the air to release a vibrant, silvery stag from the tip. He galloped upwards and disappeared through the ceiling.

"Neat trick," Cronus commented with a smirk. "Personally, I'd want my Patronus to have a bit more balls. Something enormous and vicious… certainly not a little stag."

Harry pointed his wand directly at Cronus' chest. He was itching to send a few good curses at the wizard but waited. He did not want to be the one to start the fight.

Ginny let out small grunt as she blocked a spell hurled at her. That was all Harry needed. Rounding on Cronus, he shot a Disarming Charm only to have it deflected. It was his traditional first move, an instinctive and practical way to go. In return, Cronus shot an Entrail-Expelling Curse at him.

Harry dove out of the way, only to see Ginny struggling with a mob of supporters gaining up on her. Multiple jinxes and curses were flying at her in rapid succession which caused her to put up defensive shields and reflect the spells. A lone Cronus supporter stood out of Ginny's eyesight and threw a vibrant purple spell in her direction.

Waving his wand, the ice swan leapt to life and spread its wings. It flew into the line of fire. When the purple jet hit its body, the swan burst into rain.

Standing up straight, Harry shot a succession of several harmful curses at Cronus. Most were deflected easily. One, however, broke through the barrier. The curse was meant to make the wand arm immobile but, due to the barrier, it only made Cronus fumble for a few seconds.

"HARRY!"

While Cronus shook his arm out, Harry turned to Ginny who was being detained by several wizards. Their arms twisted around her midsection and her wand had fallen useless to the ground.

Raising his wand above his head, he swirled it in a circular motion before letting an orange spark fly out. Fire erupted and slithered towards Cronus' lackeys rapidly. Ginny let out a squeal as the arms let go of her and she tumbled backwards towards the flames. The fire parted for her body to collide with the tile floor.

Turning his attention back to Cronus, Harry heard several men and women screaming in pain as the fire coiled towards them.

"Taking quite awhile for the Order and the Aurors to arrive," Cronus said in an almost bored tone. "I do hope that they hadn't figured out this was just a distraction from the main event."

Harry's insides froze as his mind wandered to Azkaban. Cronus did not want Harry or Ginny or even Teddy at the moment. He wanted Azkaban Fortress. He wanted to spring his father from the depths of stone and brick hell.

Raising his wand above his head to send out another Patronus, the Killing Curse hurled towards him and faltered his attempt to warn the others. Diving out of the way, he glanced back quickly at Ginny who was controlling the lines of fire he set to life. She was keeping the cronies at bay.

The furniture rose to the ceiling causing all the plates, food, and centerpieces to tumble from the sky. The wedding guests screamed because a good half of them were hiding under the tables. With a wave of Harry's wand, all the falling debris burst into confetti and trickled down to the ground.

Loud _pops_ were sounding from outside of the reception hall. Back-up had arrived and the siege of Azkaban would start to take place. The front door was burst off its hinges and the Order of the Phoenix and Aurors stormed through the entrance.

Leading the pack was Odin Vidar who immediately hurled curse after curse at Cronus. Harry ran towards the group to get outside. He had to get to Azkaban.

Sparks flew towards him, one masked wizard stood between Harry and the door. Pulling back his wand, he jabbed it forward sharply and to the left. The masked wizard was jerked off his feet and flew through the air.

Harry was running, nearly at the doors to the outside. A hand grabbed his elbow to stop him. Whipping around, Ron stood there with a puzzled look etched on his face. Harry only had to mouth _Azkaban_ before his best mate followed him outside.

The rushing of Apparation settled but Harry felt nauseous as though it was his first time Apparating. The cold ground of Azkaban Fortress was covered in an array of dead bodies. Limbs twisted out in awkward directions; wands lay useless on the ground. The fortress which once stood tall and menacing on the tiny island was in disarray.

A large, gaping hole through the side of the building shone brightly. The bricks had made an avalanche into the sea. Black smoke coiled from the building, age-old magic seeping from the foundation at being broken. Above the crumbled brick was a bright green light in the sky. A snake slithered through the clouds escaping the mouth of the skull it was housed in.

"Bloody hell," Ron said somewhere behind Harry.

Moving forward on jelly legs, Harry stepped over dead eyes and pale appendages in the dank Elysian Fields. He stood in the entrance of what had been Azkaban Fortress to see blood embossed on the cracked brick wall.

_Your king is backed into a corner, Mister Potter_, the wall read, _Checkmate_.

**Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Please, leave a review to let me know what you think. I've responded to some reviews that were asking questions. Thanks again. New chapter on Monday!**


	11. Benched Player

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Ten: Benched Player"  
**

The room was masked in darkness except for the nightlight shoved into the wall to the right of the bed. The wind howled outside, the branches scraping against the glass. The waves were crashing against the bluff outside of Shell Cottage with a vengeance.

Teddy Lupin was worried.

The thin covers were drawn up to his chest, his amber eyes wide and staring blankly at the shadows dancing on the wall. Harry and Ginny did not return home after the wedding. In fact, he was sitting in Ron and Hermione's kitchen munching on some homemade cookies that he and Hermione had baked earlier in the day and gulping down milk when a silver stag galloped into the kitchen and announced, in his godfather's voice, that Cronus had arrived at the wedding.

Hermione dropped Teddy off at Bill and Fleur's not long after Ron had left. She kissed him briskly on the top of his messy head, brushed his bangs to the side, told him everything was all right, and that he'd see Harry in the morning.

Fleur gripped his hand tightly and led him to the kitchen where Victoire was sitting at the kitchen table eating her dinner. He slid into the seat next to her while Fleur gathered a plate of dinner for him. He barely tasted the food as it slithered down his throat.

Teddy didn't know a lot of things. What he didn't understand was even a greater list. He blamed his grandmother and Harry for it. They had always kept him in the dark, always told him the bare minimum of what he craved to know. His grandmother always said it was for his own good and that one day he would thank them for keeping the secrets that they did. He doubted that would be the case.

Shortly after dinner, another stag appeared. His godfather then announced that Azkaban had fallen. Teddy and Victoire were promptly put to bed with a quick story about a French princess and given kisses swiftly on their cheeks.

That's how he found himself in Victoire's tiny bed with her fast asleep next to him. He could not see her but he could hear small puffs of breath escaping her pink lips. He did not understand how she could sleep. Her father had rushed to Azkaban to be with Harry. They were both in danger and she was asleep. _Girls._

Softly, he slid out of the bed and felt the cool hardwood floor tickle the soles of his feet. He padded across the room and exited as quiet as a mouse. There was a Wizarding telly downstairs. He had seen Harry countless of times watching the Wizarding News late into the night with a glass of liquor in one hand and his free arm propped behind his head. Harry never slept much… especially lately.

Plopping down in front of the telly, he pressed the on button and lowered the volume until it was a soft hum. He flipped through the channels until he saw a familiar news anchor that Harry always watched.

A large building shown on the screen, half of it blown to smithereens. A cloud of dust and fog lingered around the shambles. Black bags covered the ground. A green skull hung menacing in the clouds. Aurors, with their wands out, scanned the place. Teddy only assumed it was Azkaban.

_"The death toll reached a total of 42 in the last hour. Aurors and the Magical Law Enforcement are still searching the building for more causalities. A head count of prisoners was taken and we are being told that the number of escapees has reached a shocking 65…"_

Teddy blocked out the voice of the reporter at the sight of his godfather in the suit he picked out for the wedding. Looking worn and ragged with dark circles residing under his eyes, Harry talked swiftly with a group of fellow Aurors. Suddenly, Teddy wished he had brought Moony downstairs with him.

A gentle hand touched his shoulder which caused him to jump. Bill Weasley stood behind him with a soft smile etched onto his scarred face. The television was turned off.

"What are you doing up?" Bill questioned in soft voice.

"I… I was scared. I wanted to make sure Harry and Ginny were alright."

Bill sat down onto the floor, his legs crossing over one another. He folded his hands and placed them in his lap. Teddy faced him, mirroring him. He stared intently at Bill's scarred face. Nobody ever said what happened to him. He tried to ask once, when he was three, at Harry's birthday party at the Burrow. His grandmum heard him start to ask the question and pulled him away. She told him it was impolite to ask people about their scars or appearances.

"Harry and Ginny are alright," Bill reassured him. "Harry's at work right now and Ginny went to meet up with some Order members."

"Can't Ginny come and get me? I'll be good at Grimmauld Place."

"It's late, Teddy. We all thought you'd be asleep by now. Harry's going to come in the morning for you."

Teddy hung his head, disappointment filling every limb of his body. Bill reached out and grasped his knee to give it a squeeze.

"I know this isn't ideal for you, Teddy, but we are all just trying to get by. Things are changing and they're escalating faster than we anticipated."

"What does that mean?" Teddy looked up at the man.

"It means, that Cronus must have been planning his moves for years. He already had people in the Ministry on his side. He already had recruited far more people than we could have realized. He knows far more about the Order than we could have anticipated."

"Is that why Harry's been gone so much?"

"Yes, Harry didn't realize just how far Cronus was in his planning. None of us realized it until the attack at the _Witch Weekly _party."

Teddy let out a sigh. He didn't fully understand what was going on, didn't fully comprehend what Bill was telling him. He knew, however, that it was bad.

"Bill?"

"Hmm?"

"Is everyone going to be okay? Harry and Ginny and you and Fleur and all the Weasleys and Luna and Rolf?"

Teddy thought, perhaps, Bill was the one to ask this question. He had given him more information than anyone else had to date. Bill looked at the young boy thoughtful, a sad smile crossing his features.

"I certainly hope so," he spoke in a low voice. "I know the Order is doing everything they possibly can to ensure everyone stays safe."

"Harry told me there was an Order before that my mum and dad were in. The Order didn't keep my parents safe."

"Well, that Order wasn't run by your godfather. That Order was in a far more dangerous time. Your mother and father… Teddy, they fought for what was right and what was just. There were plenty of people in the Order last time who lived and there were plenty of people who died. Right now, this Order is looking to be in a lot better state than the last one."

Bill suddenly stood up and extended a hand to Teddy. Bill said he wanted to show him something. The two made their way to a small office situated in the back of the house. He flicked on the light and let go of Teddy's hand. He ambled to a desk in the middle of the room and ruffled around in one of the drawers. He pulled out a picture and motioned Teddy to come near.

"This was the Order of the Phoenix in the last war," Bill said as he crouched down for Teddy to see.

In the middle of the picture stood a very old man with long silvery hair and beard. Next to him, was a man that Teddy recognized as Harry's godfather – Sirius Black. Next to him was a man that made Teddy's heart stop. His father stood there awkwardly; his hands shoved in his pocket. Next to his father was his mother, her hair a bright bubblegum pink.

"See anyone you recognize?" asked Bill with a soft smile.

Teddy looked at the other faces in the picture. He saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Bill and Fleur. The Minister of Magic himself – Kingsley Shacklebolt. Charlie Weasley.

"Where's Harry and Ginny?" questioned Teddy.

"They were too young to be in the Order last time. Though, I'm guessing they would have been in a heartbeat if they were allowed."

Teddy frowned. He had just assumed that Harry had been a member the first time around. He ran the current Order after all.

"Would you like to keep it?"

Teddy watched as his mother rose onto her tip toes and whispered something into his father's ear. He blushed and looked away from her. Sirius looked at the pair, a smile crossing his face. Teddy looked up at Bill and nodded his head. He took the photograph between his fingers. He turned towards the older man and wrapped his arms around his neck and murmured his thank you. Bill led him back to bed.

Lying next to Victoire once more, he was a little less restless. The photo of the Order lay on the nightstand, propped up against a lamp. He watched as his mother leaned around his father, said something to Sirius Black, and all three of them started laughing together. The full moon outside shone brightly into the bedroom. His gaze stared at Remus' picture. As his eyes drooped closed, he imaged his father in wolf form dashing around Azkaban saving lives.

The next morning, he pushed around his eggs with his fork. He did not feel like eating. Fleur, however, insisted. He learned never to say no to Fleur, because she could be just as scary as Mrs. Weasley if you didn't do what you were told.

The doorbell rang and Bill hurried off into the foyer. The front door opened and muffled voices rang throughout the house. Teddy jumped down from the stool and ran as fast as he could into the living room. Harry stood next to Ron. A smile spread across his face as Teddy scampered towards his godfather who scooped the tiny boy into his arms.

"Harry!"

"Hey, how are you?"

Teddy pulled back and gripped his godfather's face. He looked exhausted and his usually bright emerald eyes were dull and dark.

"Did you get them?" he asked in the softest whisper.

"What?"

"The bad people who escaped? Did you catch them?"

"No," his godfather whispered back. "We will though."

Teddy frowned.

"Is Ginny alright?"

"Yes, she's at home and very eager to see you. Go upstairs and grab your stuff. We'll use the floo to go home."

As soon as Teddy was put on his feet, he ran faster than he had ever run before to pack up his backpack and grab Moony. He put extra care into placing the photograph neatly into his bag. Harry was waiting for him by the fireplace, his voice low as he talked to Fleur, Bill, and Ron. Once his godfather caught sight of him, he smiled a tired smile and held out a hand. Teddy took it quickly, and the two stepped into the fire.

That night, Teddy found himself back at Grimmauld Place. Victoire and Teddy had been rushed upstairs to the bedroom. Luckily, someone had taken down the heads from the walls. Ginny told him that Hermione had stayed late one night to take them down after she found out that he and Victoire were frightened by them. Teddy tried to tell Ginny he was fine, that he was brave like Harry and it had been Victoire who had really been scared. Ginny just smiled her brilliant smile and nodded.

Victoire laid on her stomach on one of the beds and colored – if that was what you could even say she was doing. She couldn't stay in the lines and Teddy wondered if he should finally teach her that lesson. She hadn't gotten any better. He thought better of it as his mind wandered to what was going on downstairs.

"I'm going downstairs," Teddy said dully.

He no longer wished to be kept in the dark, lied to, or dismissed. For too long, he'd stood back and watched his godfather and Ginny get hurt. He was going to venture downstairs and listen to what happened at Azkaban.

"We're 'posed to stay up here," Victoire sat up on the bed with her white brows furrowed.

"Says who?" Teddy questioned even though he knew the answer to the question.

"Uh… Uncle Harry, duh," she replied slowly as though talking to a child smaller than herself.

"What he doesn't know can't hurt him," was Teddy's reply. "Don't you wanna know what's going on?"

Victoire pulled her legs up to her chest. Her pallid arms wrapped around her knobby knees as she laid her chin onto her kneecap. There was a thoughtful look on her face as though she were trying to decipher the world's greatest mysteries. She was younger than him but had to notice how tense everyone was and how her dad was always gone.

"What's goin' on?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

"There's a bad man trying to kill our families," he responded as he closed the space between them. "He's hurt Harry and Ginny a lot lately."

"Is that why we come here a lot and my daddy's always gone?"

"Yeah," he responded with a head nod.

"Why does the bad man wanna hurt us?"

"Because, Harry and Ginny and your dad and everyone else are really powerful wizards. They're like the best there is."

Tentatively, Victoire swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She scooted slowly off the bed. Hand in hand, Teddy and Victoire walked silently down the hallway to the stairs. They crept down carefully and maneuvered their way around the old house.

He strained his ears but heard nothing. In fact, for the first time since the meetings started, there was no yelling. Every meeting had normally ended in a shouting match.

They made their way to the kitchen door where the meetings took place. Teddy and Victoire placed their ears flush against the wood and heard… nothing. Teddy frowned and wondered if Harry had placed a Silencing Charm or something around the room. Defeated, the two made their way back to the bedroom.

Time seemed to pass slowly. Teddy felt like the two had been in the room forever. The sun had set long ago, and Victoire was whining about her stomach hurting and wanting dinner. Finally, after it seemed like ages, Harry opened the door to the bedroom with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"It's over?" Teddy asked with brows raised.

"Let's go home. I think the Cannons are playing tonight," Harry said tiredly as he reached out a hand to each child. "We can order some pizza."

One minute, Teddy was walking in between Ginny and Harry, his hands gripping theirs tightly as they made their way out of Grimmauld Place. They were going to walk to the corner, into an alleyway, and Apparate to the parking garage underneath Harry's flat. Teddy had been so excited to finally walk outside and travel somewhere that wasn't through the floo network. Except, as they were walking down the stone path leading from the house, Ginny's hand became lax in his and she stumbled to the right. She was tumbling slowly like a feather swaying down to the floor.

Teddy screamed as her body collided with the cold ground. Blood was gushing out of her temple and soaking the grass beneath her. He stood rooted in his place, his eyes wide as saucers as he stared at the woman who had quickly become like a mother to him.

Harry was shouting her name, his fingers slipping from his godson's grasp. He was at her side in a second, scooping her frail body into his arms. Blood was seeping onto his stark white shirt, spreading like a disease as it became more saturated.

Teddy stepped backwards. Everything felt so numb that at first he couldn't even tell he was moving. Suddenly, strong arms wrapped themselves around him and lifted his feet off the ground.

Mrs. Weasley and Hermione rushed forward to help Harry. Ginny was stirring, her fingers gripping his godfather's shirt tightly. It was only then that Teddy forced his eyes away from the scene to see Ron holding him close to his chest. His eyes were wide and face pallid. It reminded him of the face Ron had made after Ginny and him had been attacked at the market.

Something snapped inside of Teddy. He started to scream at the top of his lungs, his body twisting and jerking to be let down. His mind was frantically jumping to conclusions. The bad men were back who had hurt Ginny before. They were going to get her and kill her this time. He needed the eyeglass tucked away in his jeans pocket, he had to find the bad guys and warn Harry.

Tears blurred his vision and his lungs gasped for breath. It wasn't until Harry reached out for him that he quieted down and settled into his godfather's strong arms. Harry would not allow anything to happen to him or to Ginny.

He sat at St. Mungo's for hours slumped against Harry's side. His head pounded, his eyes were painfully itchy, and he could barely breathe out of his nose. Hermione and Ron sat across from them quietly. Hermione was slouched against Ron, her eyes drooping closed.

On the adjacent couch were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Their faces were drawn, serious. He had never seen Mr. Weasley look so serious before. He was always laughing and carrying on with Ron and George. Mrs. Weasley looked sad. He had seen her sad before. He didn't like it.

Teddy sniffed loudly. The noise was enough for Harry to tighten his grip around the small child. He looked up at his godfather through his sandy fringe. His lips were drawn into a thin line, his eyes looked lackluster, his cheeks seemed like they were being sucked in between his teeth. He had never seen Harry look so awful before. He reached up a hand slowly and touched the dark circle beneath his godfather's eye. He jumped slightly, looking down at him as though to question what he was doing. He didn't know. Teddy wondered if he was too tired.

Another hour passed before a healer called for the Weasley family. In one swift movement, Harry stood up and scooped Teddy up in his arms. In a couple strides, they were huddled around the healer with the other Weasleys.

"She's awake. She's fine. She had a fainting spell. We ran every test we could think of. Nothing seems wrong for the moment. We are just waiting for some results to come back. You can see her."

It wasn't long until Teddy lay cradled in Ginny's arms. On her porcelain wrist was a stark white band. He traced the 'G' on the bracelet silently. Harry sat in the chair next to the hospital bed, his head buried into the palm of his hand. Ginny's fingers ran through Teddy's hair. The motion was quickly putting him to sleep. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat on the other side of the bed. Ron and Hermione were standing at the foot of the bed.

"What happened?" asked Mrs. Weasley in a panicked voice.

"I dunno, Mum. I just got lightheaded and fainted. It was nothing. Stress probably," Ginny replied as she rested her hand on Teddy's shoulder.

"I think you need to take a step back," Harry commented as he lifted his head.

Teddy heard Ginny groan in frustration. He turned his head slightly to look at his godfather. There was a look on Harry's face that Teddy had never seen grace his features before. It was fear.

"I'm fine, Harry," Ginny replied with annoyance lacing her words.

"Maybe it's not such a bad idea," Ron spoke up. "I mean, you guys have been attacked three times in the past couple of months. Bloody hell, this isn't just some crazy bloke. He's smart, Gins. He's powerful."

"You don't think I know that?" spat Ginny. "I'm _fine_."

"Blimey, Ginny," Ron did not let up, "he's got it out for you two. He seems to know exactly where you guys are going to be and what you're doing. I'm starting to think he has a spy in the Order."

"There's not a spy in the Order," Mr. Weasley said with a sigh.

"Draco Malfoy's in the Order," Ron whispered with rage tinting his words. "He was a Death Eater. He's tried to kill us before."

Teddy stiffened in Ginny's arms. She must have felt it because she started rubbing circles on his back. He had never heard the term Death Eater before. It was enough to make his mind go wild. Draco Malfoy… he was the blonde man who had called him a werewolf cub. Teddy did not like him one bit.

"Enough!" Ginny hissed.

"Malfoy's our spy," Hermione implored to Ron as though she had not heard Ginny. "You need to let childhood grudges go."

"Tell me, who else could it be then? Ginny's been attacked three times, Hermione! Three times since all this started!"

"Can we talk about this another time?" Ginny spoke louder and jerked her head down to Teddy who was clinging onto his guardian as tightly as possible.

"Why don't we grab something to eat?" Hermione suggested with a sigh, her gaze locking with Harry.

Ron opened his mouth to say something else when Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. He groaned, rubbing the spot tenderly as he glared at his girlfriend. The Weasleys rose from their chairs and looked pointedly at Harry as well. Teddy frowned. Why was it always his godfather's job to fix things?

"We'll be back in a few. Harry, dear, would you like anything?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she squeezed Ginny's hand.

"I'm good, thank you."

"Teddy, would you like anything?"

"No," he whispered bitterly.

"_Teddy_," Ginny nudged the boy.

"No, thank you," the boy added.

As soon as everyone had disappeared from the hospital room, Ginny let out a frustrated sigh. She glanced daggers at Harry. Teddy sat up to see both adults. His eyes darted between the two.

"Ginny, I just want you safe," Harry said softly. "I don't want to fight."

"I fainted, Harry, it's no big deal. How would you feel if you were told to take a step back when you started fainting with the Dementors when you were in your third year? How would you feel if people thought you weak? It happens to the best of us. I'm just tired and stressed."

"I don't think you're weak. I know you can take care of yourself. I just… I couldn't take it if anything happened to you."

The door burst open and the Healer walked in with a smile etched on his features. Teddy's hand gripped Ginny's wrist, his eyes gliding towards his godfather.

"I have good news for you, Miss Weasley," the Healer spoke calmly. "We checked for lasting curse effects, jinx residue, and everything we can think of. You're perfectly clean of dark magic. In fact, there's nothing wrong with you."

"Then why the bloody hell did she faint?" snapped Harry.

Ginny's hand touched Teddy's forehead and brushed back his bangs.

"You're pregnant, Miss Weasley."

"_What_?" gasped Ginny.

She struggled to sit up causing Teddy to nearly fall off the bed. Ginny's hand caught him just in time. He positioned himself closer to Ginny and looked at each of the adults. His bottom lips slipped between his teeth.

"No. No. No. I can't be." She let out a small chuckle. "We do the contraception spell perfectly every time! You must be mistaken."

"Shit," whispered Harry.

All eyes snapped towards him at the small curse.

"What?" pleaded Ginny. "What do you know that I don't?"

"Can we have some privacy?"

The Healer nodded and stepped out of the room. Teddy sat on the bed unsure of whether or not he should leave as well. Mrs. Weasley was bound to not be that far away. He could search for her. Before he could decide upon anything, Ginny's arm slipped around his waist and pulled him onto her lap.

"After the _Witch Weekly_ gala…" Harry started off uncertainly, his eyes drifting towards his godson. "I don't remember… I mean it was…"

"Oh," was the only syllable out of her mouth.

"Harry?" Teddy asked tentatively. "Ginny's going to have a baby, right?"

His godfather sank down in his chair. A forced smile appeared across his worn face.

"Yes, Teddy, Ginny's going to have a baby."

"How does Ginny _get_ a baby?"

Harry lost all color in his face while Ginny giggled behind him. Teddy did not understand why there were such different reactions but decided to laugh with her. Before long, his godfather was joining in with them.

"Teddy, Sweetie," Ginny spoke gently. "When two people love each other, their love becomes too big to contain after awhile. When that happens, a baby comes."

"So, my mummy and daddy loved each other so much that they made me?" whispered Teddy.

"Yes," Harry responded, "and they loved you more than anything."

Satisfied, Teddy rested his head against Ginny's chest. His eyes felt heavy and, at that moment, he never felt safer in his life.

"I guess this means I'm benched," whispered Ginny.

"Gins…"

"No, I have a new mission now. That's to protect Teddy and our baby."

"That's a noble mission."

"Harry… nobody can find out about this…"

A raindrop collided on Teddy's head. Twisting his neck, he saw Ginny brush her face with the back of her hand quickly.

"I know," replied Harry.

With that, he rose from his hospital chair. He quickly pecked both Ginny and Teddy on top of their heads before exiting the room.

"Why are you crying?" Teddy questioned. "I thought babies make people happy."

"Oh, Teddy, I'm very happy," Ginny replied. "Sometimes, when people are really really happy, they cry."

Teddy pushed away from Ginny completely. He looked up at her, brow furrowed. He thought tears were a sad emotion, not happy. He couldn't remember a time he ever cried because he was happy.

"Oh," he responded, still not completely understanding the concept.

"I'm happy Harry and I are having a baby. Truly."

"What does that make me? To the baby? Will I be the godfather to the baby like Harry's my godfather?"

Ginny paused, a thoughtful look on her face.

"You'll be the baby's godbrother."

A smile spread widely across Teddy's face. Ginny smiled back at him, pearly whites and all. A godbrother. That was better than anything he could have imagined.

**Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Please, leave a review! New chapter out on Friday.**


	12. Follow the Money

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Eleven: Follow the Money"**

Harry stood in the Burrow next to Ginny with Teddy in-between them who was bouncing out of excitement a week after Ginny was released from the hospital. All the Weasleys had been gathered together into the small house. Victoire was sitting on George's lap as she excitedly asked him for a new trick from the joke shop. Percy's little girl sat between her grandparents and babbled on about nothing anyone could understand. Ron and Hermione were sitting on the floor not far from them as most of the chairs had been taken by the time they had arrived. Even Charlie Weasley had come for the announcement and hung in the back of the room talking with Bill and Fleur.

"Okay, everyone!" Ginny called. "Harry, Teddy, and I have something we want to tell all of you."

"Oi, just put the ring on already!" called George playfully. "I got stuff I need to do, and we all know that's why you called us here!"

Harry shifted his weight, the ring was still securely in his pocket. He had not proposed and the news of the baby would certainly shock the Weasleys into silence. They had agreed to tell just the Weasleys and that was it. Nobody else would find out about the baby. Nobody could. Luckily, the Harpies had finished out the season until spring when the finals would pick up once more.

"Listen, what we're about to tell you," Ginny continued as though she hadn't heard her brother, "does not leave these walls. Nobody is to know what we're about to tell you. It's strictly a Weasley secret, okay?"

"Just tell us when the wedding date is already!" Charlie shouted. "I need to know when to put in my vacation days!"

"Harry and I are not engaged," Ginny snapped. "Can I just tell my news?"

"You mean… this isn't about an engagement?" Mrs. Weasley spoke up, a slightly annoyed tone lacing her words, as she brushed her namesake's hair with her fingers.

"No!" Ginny replied in an exasperated tone.

"Just tell them, Gins," Harry whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

"Can _I_ just tell everyone?" Teddy whined as he turned towards Ginny as though he simply could not hold in the secret any longer.

"Harry and I are having a baby!" Ginny blurted out and the room grew very quiet.

"I'M GOING TO BE A GODBROTHER!" Teddy shouted with his arms stretched out wide when nobody moved or said anything.

Harry shifted uncomfortably. He expected the Weasleys to be shocked but not… this shocked. He supposed it had to do with the fact that they were not married or at least engaged while announcing the pregnancy.

"Congratulations!" Hermione broke the silence as she stood up and enveloped Ginny into a hug.

"How far along are you?" Angelina asked as she approached the two with her own belly just starting to show to give Harry an embrace.

"So that makes three Weasley babies coming next year!" Bill announced as he stepped forward to give his sister a hug.

"Two Weasleys and a Potter," George corrected with a laugh as Victoire was hoisted up on his shoulders. "But, then again, isn't Potter just a synonym for Weasley at this point?"

Harry felt the anxiety leave the pit of his stomach. All the Weasleys were rising from their seats to give their congratulations. All except Mrs. Weasley who sat still on the couch with her granddaughter.

"Am I right to assume that you two have talked about marriage?" Mrs. Weasley spoke suddenly and everyone stood still. All eyes were on Harry.

"I, uh… not, not really," he replied nervously.

"You can't expect not to get married after this. You two have a responsibility now. You must get married before the baby comes! How far along are you exactly?"

Everyone turned their attention to Ginny. She reached out a hand to grasp Harry's fingers into hers.

"About eight weeks," she said barely above a whisper.

"Molly, I'm sure this wasn't exactly a planned pregnancy," Mr. Weasley spoke softly. "They're committed to one another. We know Harry, he's like another son to us. We don't have to worry about them not being in this for the long haul."

Is that what Mrs. Weasley thought? That if he didn't marry her that he was going to run off and leave her alone with a baby to take care of by herself? Harry suddenly felt sick at the very notion that his only maternal figure would think that of him.

"I'm not doubting Harry's intentions," she spoke slowly as she flashed Harry a sad look. "The baby deserves to have married parents. It's the proper way to do things."

"I… I never said I didn't want to marry Ginny," Harry supplied as a hand reached down to rest on Teddy's shoulder, who looked absolutely confused by the turn of conversation.

"This is unbelievable!" Ginny shouted. "Honestly, anytime anyone else in this family has announced a pregnancy, you've been over the moon. But with Harry and me? Just because we didn't do things in the conventional sense and get married first? I mean, honestly, Mum, when has anything Harry and I have done been conventional? We're already parents to Teddy!"

"Teddy is different, dear."

"Why am I different?" Teddy spoke up softly with furrowed brows.

"Are you _serious_ right now?" Ginny roared.

Ginny knelt down and pulled Teddy into her arms. He looked between Harry and Ginny like he suddenly felt unwanted and uncomfortable. Harry had never felt more anger towards Mrs. Weasley before. Before he could say or move, Ginny stood up with Teddy in her arms. She announced she was going home and had disappeared through the fireplace.

Nobody moved nor dare speak. Very slowly, Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet blue box. He slammed it down on the coffee table for everyone to see.

"I've been carrying that around in my bloody pocket for a good two months trying to find the right way to propose. I bought a good six months ago. With everything going on with Cronus, I didn't want to do it. I wanted to wait until after that whole mess was taken care of. The baby might have been a surprise but my intention to one day have a family with Ginny never was," he spoke in an even, cool tone.

"Oh, Harry," Mrs. Weasley started.

Harry held up a hand to stop her. With his free hand, he grabbed the ring box and shoved it back in his pocket. He silently left the Burrow in the same manner Ginny had.

It had been a week since Harry and Ginny had told the Weasleys their news. In that time, Ginny's favorite spot had become rooted in front of the toilet. Teddy often sat with her in the bathroom, taking Moony and a book with him to read to her as she wrenched up all of her food.

"I never thought having a baby was so… disgusting," Teddy commented one day as he lounged on the bathroom floor with Moony under his chin.

"Oh, God, Harry, grab Fleur. She's so good at making this-"

Before Ginny could finish her sentence, she started puking once more into the toilet. Harry sat awkwardly behind her, rubbing her back.

Neither one had talked to Mrs. Weasley all week. Harry had been busy at the Ministry and planning for the next Order meeting. Ginny had been busy taking care of Teddy and trying to keep some food down. Ginny's brothers had all sent owls to make it clear they were very excited, albeit shocked, by the news and didn't care when the wedding was or if there was ever a wedding. Fleur had been popping into the apartment almost daily with Victoire to help Ginny take care of Teddy and to teach her some spells to help cope with the morning sickness.

It was Saturday night when Harry ushered Teddy and Victorie upstairs at Grimmauld Place as he waited for the rest of the Order members to arrive. Fleur was with a very green looking Ginny with her wand out.

"Eets more of a flick," Fleur explained very slowly as though talking to a child as she motioned with her wand. "A flick, 'Inny, a flick. Not a jab."

"Fleur, can you just do it before I puke all over the carpets, please?" Ginny asked in a pitiful tone.

"Oi, Ginny, if you're going to hurl, why don't you go over to Sirius' mum's portrait?" suggested George. "I think we may be able to hear Sirius laugh from the great beyond if you do."

Harry smiled widely as George flashed him a grin before disappearing down the stairs to the kitchen with Angelina. Ginny, however, did not seem amused by the joke as Fleur flicked her wand gracefully while uttering the incantation. A look of relief crossed her features.

The rest of the Order members came spilling through the fireplace or through the front door. Everyone chattered as they made their way to the kitchen. Ginny stood next to Harry and he instantly placed an arm around her shoulders. She looked exhausted.

The last to arrive, by no surprise, was Draco Malfoy who was looking even thinner than normal. He did not acknowledge Harry or Ginny and swiftly walked down to the kitchens. Harry sighed and glided his hand down to the small of Ginny's back. They too made their way downstairs.

Harry stood with his back against the counter. His fingers curled around the granite as he surveyed the room. Everyone was situating themselves around the kitchen table, some conjuring chairs to sit along the wall. Mrs. Weasley sat towards the back while Malfoy sulked in the corner. In the very front row, looking paler than pale was Dudley and Claire Dursley.

Dudley had called Harry a few days ago asking to speak with him. He had run to Dudley's house one day during his lunch break to meet with them. Dudley and Claire sat him down in the parlor and asked to be involved in the battle against Cronus. Claire had been watching the news ever since the attack at her wedding, reading about how Azkaban had fallen. She had even hired a personal tutor to teach her the magical lessons she had missed when she dropped out of Hogwarts. Dudley, had surprisingly, been exceedingly supportive.

_"Err… if you could keep this from my mum and dad, I'd appreciate it, Harry,"_ Dudley had said before Harry had left that day after telling them about the Order and how to find headquarters for the next meeting.

"Thank you all for coming," Harry greeted in a weary tone. "Cronus has been quiet since releasing the prisoners from Azkaban. Azkaban is still under the Ministry's control and nobody has even attempted to go back there. Malfoy, tell us, what's his next move? There has to be something new. It's been too quiet."

"You want me to reveal information like that in front of a Muggle?" Malfoy's head nodded towards Dudley.

Ginny, who was seated beside Claire, reached out a hand to squeeze her shoulder. Some curious eyes looked around the room until they too landed on the Dursleys.

"Dudley's my cousin," Harry spoke slowly, with his voice even. "He's had Auror protection around him since the attack on Ginny in the market. He married a witch. It only seems fitting they are both here. Besides that, they can give us an indication on what Muggles have been saying."

"I mean, we let a git like you in here, Malfoy, so why not a Muggle?" Ron shot.

"Yeah, I mean, Dudley's kind of a git himself so you guys should get along alright," George added.

"Enough," snapped Harry as Dudley squirmed in his chair with a frown etched on his face.

Sure, Dudley was a ginormous git while the two were growing up. Dudley made his amends, the two were developing a relationship he never thought was possible. He didn't want what progress they had made to be shattered. Especially since Dudley's children would, no doubt, attend Hogwarts with Teddy and his own children.

"I'd expect, Mister Malfoy, if you are here at these meetings, if you agreed to this particular position, you would have let go of some of your more unfavorable ideals," Professor McGonagall spoke up.

"Oh, yes, just because I don't agree with Potter, then I must not have changed." Malfoy stood up and crossed the room. "He's a Muggle, and we are not only telling him about magic but also our plans to fight a dark wizard. Tell me, if this Muggle would get captured, what's to stop him from spilling out all of our secrets? He'll be defenseless."

"What's ter stop any of us from talkin'?" Hagrid roared from the very back. "Yeh think if Cronus figured out yeh been playin' him a fool yeh wouldn't be tortured? What's ter stop yeh from spillin' secrets to get it to stop?"

"I'm a wizard, you big oaf, and have a wand and magic," Malfoy spit back bitterly. "Not that you'd understand what it's like to have a wand."

A chair screeched against the floor. There was a loud bang as the chair collided with the wall and broke. Hagrid took two steps and was standing in front of Malfoy with fury burning in his eyes.

"_Hagrid_," Harry warned.

Hagrid's fists clenched at his sides. He looked at Harry before taking a step back.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Just like an obedient dog you are," Malfoy sneered.

"_Malfoy!"_ hissed Harry as he shot Hagrid a warning glance to sit down. "Enough! I've had it with all the fighting! We are here because a dark wizard has attacked, has killed, has released nearly all the prisoners from Azkaban! All we seem to do for the first hour of every meeting is fight amongst each other! Malfoy, for once, shut your mouth of unnecessary commentary!"

"If I may, Mister Potter, I'd like to say something," Professor McGonagall said in an even tone. "It would do you well, Mister Malfoy, to remember a man I'm sure you've met by the name of Peter Pettigrew. He joined the He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named out of fear. He gladly traded Order secrets and whereabouts of Order members to save his own skin. I'm sure no torture was necessary. Any of us could turn. Any of us could be captured. You really think that Cronus is going to suspect a Muggle in our ranks?"

Malfoy sneered.

"Why don't you give your report, Malfoy?" Harry said with a small smiled aimed at his old professor. McGonagall merely nodded back at him in acknowledgement.

Malfoy nodded curtly as he took his place next to Harry which was no doubt a power move on his part. He stood tall while Harry leaned against the countertops. His cold eyes surveyed the room, avoiding looking at Dudley or Claire.

"He seeks control of Gringotts next."

The room was silent, confusion clouding some faces. Harry frowned at the turn of events. He wanted the prisoners of Azkaban and now he wanted to control the wizarding money.

"Why Gringotts?" Ron's voice was the first to speak.

"Don't you see, Ron?" Hermione said in an exasperated tone. "He wants to take away everyone's livelihood. If he controls the money, what are families going to do when they can't take their money out of their vaults? What will they do when their wages from their jobs no longer come? They'll submit to him, succumb to his wishes. Wizards would bend to his requests in order to put food on the table, to feed their children, to survive."

"Bill, you need to be our liaison with the goblins," Harry said instantly. "We need added security."

"They won't take your help or your security," replied Bill with a regretful tone. "They are proud, they are arrogant. They believe that nobody would be able to get past their precautions or take the bank. You'll have to be clever about it. I daresay, Harry, you're not exactly the most liked amongst the goblins."

"Isn't there a reasonable one within management? Someone who would listen?" Harry inquired, a frown working its way onto his features.

He supposed he should have expected the goblins not to like him. He did break into Gringotts at seventeen and stole from a vault. Anytime he went to Gringotts, which he tried to make as infrequently as possible, they always sneered at him and gave him a hard time. More often than not, he sent Ginny to the bank. He had placed her name on his account a good two years ago.

"I can try but I can make no guarantees. Last time, Dumbledore asked the same of me. It was no easy feat to get them to listen to me, to get them to understand. The Dark Side often has more bargaining chips than we seem to."

"Well, we can set up security in Diagon Alley to patrol," Harry was mainly thinking out loud at this point. "Get Order members and Aurors alike to take shifts."

Cronus could not get control of Gringotts. That much he was sure of. Hermione was right – when people start to starve because they have no money, when they start to hear the cries of their hungry children, they will become desperate and there will be nothing they could do to persuade them on their side at that point.

There were three institutions that could not fall – Gringotts, the Ministry, and Hogwarts. Those were the prized possessions of their Wizarding World, the pillars of their society. If even one fell, it would be catastrophic. It would be the beginning of the end.

The rest of the meeting was spent discussing how to protect Gringotts, ideas and charms were thrown out on the table. Malfoy had no other information on when the attack would happen or how. It was still in the early planning stages. Harry, however, doubted they would ever know that information. The attack on Azkaban had been discussed but never revealed when. Malfoy had stated that they were called one night for a meeting and told the plan only twenty minutes before they set out. There was no way to get a message to Harry or the Order without rising suspicions. Cronus was very cautious in case there was a spy in his midst. Harry briefly wondered if he knew Malfoy was a spy.

Perhaps, he did suspect a spy. Afterall, Kingsley had ordered Azkaban to hire more guards and extend the number of staff on at one time. Vidar had sent at least two Aurors to be at the prison at all times to patrol. They had upped security enough to be noticeable. Cronus knew enough to attack Harry, wait for him to call the Order, and then attack Azkaban when everyone would be somewhere else.

Everyone started to disperse from the kitchen nearly an hour and a half later. Some lingered to chat in hushed tones. Others, like Malfoy, had been rushed out of the musty, old house.

Dudley and Claire had wandered up to Harry. They both looked more nervous than they had when they first entered the meeting.

"I'm, er, sorry, Harry," Dudley started as he wrapped an arm around Claire. "Are we not supposed to come?"

"No, you're fine, Dudley. Malfoy's just… you know how Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon hate magic?" Dudley nodded.

"We haven't exactly told them that Claire's a… a witch yet."

"Well, some wizards hate Muggles. They find Muggles beneath them. Malfoy comes from a very old wizarding family who held those sorts of beliefs. Although, Malfoy is on our side, he still struggles with those beliefs sometimes… or all of the time."

Dudley nodded as Claire wrung her hands nervously.

"I remember the two of you fighting a lot at school," she spoke softly. "He always seemed unbearable."

Harry offered a soft smile as he tucked his hands into his pockets. Ginny had approached the small group.

"It's silly to think you two won't be affected by Cronus," Ginny supplied. "Dudley and Harry are cousins. You've married into the family and are a witch. It's best if you're here to help if you can. You may have point of views as a Muggle or being raised in a Muggle environment that we may not think of as wizards. It could be very insightful and helpful."

"Thanks, Ginny," Claire said with a smile.

"We, uh, ought to be going. Long drive ahead of us," Dudley announced.

The small group bid their farewells. In fact, almost everyone had gone except some of the Weasleys at this point. Molly Weasley walked up to Harry and Ginny. She looked pale and nervous.

"I know I'm not your favorite person right now," she started to say, "I'm sorry about the way I reacted. It's just… in my day, people did things a certain way. There was marriage and then a family. I, I thought a lot about what you said. You're right, your relationship has never been conventional. How could it be? Harry was famous since before he could talk. We had You-Know-You wreaking havoc throughout your childhood. You've had a godson you've looked after since you were only seventeen years old. So, I guess you've been a father for five years already, Harry. I'm just… I'm sorry. I'm so excited for the both of you and I want to be there to help you still."

"It's okay, Mum. I forgive you."

Ginny had tears pouring silently down her face as she embraced her mother tightly. Harry knew the stress of not talking to her mother was getting to her. While Fleur had been an amazing help the past week, Harry knew that Ginny had craved her mother to be there instead.

Mrs. Weasley pulled back, a smile broke out on her face as she ran a hand along Ginny's still flat stomach. She then turned to Harry who too told her he forgave her. The two embraced as well. All was forgiven.

"Harry," Bill's voice called from the kitchen door, "I brought Teddy down. He didn't want to stay upstairs by himself. We're leaving!"

"Thank you. Goodnight," Harry waved as Teddy came bounding over to his guardians.

"Goodnight, you three," Mrs. Weasley said as she gave Ginny's hand a slight squeeze. "You ready, Arthur?"

Harry didn't dare admit it out loud, but he sort of agreed with Mrs. Weasley on the whole marriage debate. He wanted to be with Ginny, wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, wanted to make a family. He never had a proper family growing up. He wanted his kids to have a proper childhood, one with perfectly happy married parents. He wanted Teddy to be included on that – to have married guardians. He wanted a family, a real family. Maybe, just maybe, he was being silly about waiting to propose until Cronus was gone. Hadn't his parents gotten married and had a baby during a time of war?

Ginny, Harry, and Teddy were the last to leave Grimmauld Place. Ginny made sure all the doors and windows were locked before standing in front of the fireplace in the kitchen. She pulled out some floo powder and disappeared amongst the flames. With a look of pure disgust, Teddy stepped forward and reached for the powder. Harry gripped his shoulder to stop him.

"What's wrong, Harry?"

"Do you think you could help me with a special mission?" he inquired as a wide smile spread across Teddy's features.

"A mission? For _me_? Well, spit it out, Harry! I wanna know!" Teddy couldn't help bouncing on the balls of his feet as Harry crouched down until they were eye level.

"I think I've been carrying this ring around in my pocket too long," Harry said as he tapped his jacket pocket. "Think you can help me find a way to ask Ginny to marry me?"

"YES!" Teddy said in excitement. "You want me to help you plan it? Can I be there when you do it?"

Harry laughed, a wide smile crossing his features. For a split second, he forgot about Cronus, about Azkaban, about Gringotts, about the nearly seventy files on escapees sitting on his desk at work. He forgot about the Order, forgot about having all eyes on him to fix the Wizarding World. For once, he focused on his godson, focused on his girlfriend, focused on his unborn child.

"Of course, you can be there when it happens. You really think I would propose without you there? We're family, Teddy. You'll always be there for everything."

Teddy flung his arms around Harry's neck as a strangled noise of excitement caught in the tiny boy's throat.

**I know I said new chapter on Friday, but I am actually ahead of my writing schedule so I thought I'd post a day early. I was worried chapters 15 and 16 were going to be difficult to write, but they've surprisingly come easier than I anticipated. So, I roughly have 20 chapters planned out, a possible 21st epilogue that would be short if I decide it's needed.**

**I have a questions for everyone. I wanted to write another story after I've finished this one. I had ideas to do a Marauders story, another (unrelated) post Hogwarts story, or part of me wants to continue with a sequel to this story (although I have no idea of where to take it). What would you guys be interested in reading? Please leave a review!**


	13. The Holiday

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Twelve: The Holiday"**

Teddy lounged on the couch in the living room, Moony dangling from his fingers over the side of the couch. The stuffed wolf's nose grazed the floor. Teddy was royally and thoroughly bored. His head turned towards Ginny who was curled up in the armchair reading a book. Harry had left for work hours ago, grabbing a banana for breakfast on his way out the door.

"Ginny…" Teddy spoke up.

"Hmmm?" Ginny replied, reaching for her bookmark on the end table next to her.

"When I stayed at Victoire's house, Bill gave me a picture of the old Order he was in and you and Harry weren't."

Ginny sat her book down, her attention fully on him.

"I know, I saw it sitting on your nightstand. You know, Teddy, if you want a picture of your parents for your nightstand, you are more than welcome to go through my photo album and take whatever you want. I guess I should have told you that earlier… I just didn't think about it."

Teddy sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the couch. Moony was pulled up and laid next to him.

"Really? Anything I want?"

"Yeah. Maybe we can get a few pictures framed for you. I know your grandmum had pictures on her fireplace. The house belongs to Harry right now… nothing's been touched. I'm sure Harry will go get them for you too."

Teddy thought for a moment. He remembered a picture of him as a baby in his mother's arms and his dad's arm around her. They were smiling at the camera, laughing and they looked so happy. He wouldn't mind that photo on his nightstand.

"I'd like that a lot. When can Harry go?"

"I'll ask him when he gets home. Maybe he can swing by tomorrow after work."

Teddy smiled, his heart racing.

"Harry told me about how he took you into his memories in his Pensieve," Ginny said as she shifted in her chair. "I've been thinking for awhile about allowing you to see a memory of mine. I thought… I wanted to get a good memory of your mum. I thought about, well, the day that your parents brought you to meet us. I thought if you'd like to see it with me, we could."

Teddy was up on his feet in seconds and very enthusiastically nodded his head. Ginny smiled softly and unfolded herself from her armchair. She ambled over the cabinet where Harry housed his Pensieve. She sat it carefully onto the coffee table, her wand pointing at her temple.

"Now, I have to warn you, Teddy, you will not be at the Burrow. You see, after the Easter holiday, my family and I went into hiding at my Aunt Muriel's. So, my parents, Fred, George, and I were all there. Your parents came… Merlin, maybe three or four days after you were born to show you off."

The memory swirled in the Pensieve. Teddy looked at it and saw a younger Ginny holding a pile of blankets. He walked around the coffee table until he was standing next to her. He reached out a hand for her to take.

"Was Harry there?"

"No, Harry wasn't there."

"Do you think that Harry would show me his memory of when my parents introduced me to him?"

"Well, Teddy, sweetie, Harry didn't get to meet you until after your parents died."

Teddy frowned but tried to push that thought out of his mind. He was excited to see Ginny's memory and chose to focus on that.

Ginny and Teddy leaned forward over the Pensieve until the familiar falling sensation hit Teddy like a ton of bricks. He looked around in the unfamiliar house. He quickly spotted Ginny curled up in an armchair looking quite miserable. The Weasley twins were chatting in quiet voices on the couch. Mrs. Weasley was knitting although it looked like she wasn't entirely paying attention. Mr. Weasley seemed lost in thought next his wife as he stared at a wall. Ginny's Aunt Muriel did not seem to be in sight but he heard clanking in the kitchen and assumed it was her.

There was a knock on the door that startled all the Weasleys in the living room. Mr. Weasley was up at once, his wand by his side as he inched towards the front door cautiously.

"It is I, Remus Lupin, werewolf, husband of Tonks, brand new father with his wife and his new son – who I am happy to report is awake with all ten fingers and toes."

The collective group seemed to relax and Mr. Weasley strolled towards the door with a smile planted on his face. He quickly opened the door and ushered the small family inside. Teddy let go of Ginny's hand and peered at his parents. His mother was beaming, her hair a very sunny yellow. His tired looking father had a wide smile on his face.

Mrs. Weasley was rushing forward as her kids followed. She peered into the pile of blankets in his mother's arms, squealing in surprise.

"Did his hair… did his hair just turn red?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"He's got my genes," his mother said excitedly.

"I suppose if he was going to inherit one of our abnormalities, I'm more than happy it was Tonk's," his father spoke in an even, amused tone.

Teddy stood on his tip toes, trying to catch a glimpse of his baby self. Ginny must have noticed because he was instantly snuggled into her arms. He saw his baby face with red hair that was quickly turning into a soft blue.

"Oi, Remus," George spoke with a glint of laughter ringing in his voice. "You sure he didn't get your little problem? He's all rolly and wrinkly like I'd expect you look in your wolf form."

"Honestly, George!" Mrs. Weasley hissed. His father just laughed.

"Bit more hair though," his father said with a smile that reached his eyes.

"Can I hold him?" younger Ginny spoke up.

"Of course," his mother said sweetly. "Now, you got to hold his head or else-"

"Or else his head will fall off," Fred spoke up. "You don't want to be known as the baby killer."

The teenage Ginny shot her brother a look, her arms held out. His mother carefully transferred the pile of blankets to Ginny. She supported his head with one arm and curled the other one under his bottom. She smiled down at him.

"Yes, as much as I like you, Ginny, I might have to sever ties if you make my baby's head fall off," his mother sang in a cheerful tone.

"Honestly, can we not joke about that sort of thing?" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"I think we could all do for some jokes and laughs right now, Molly," his father said thoughtfully.

"Does Harry know?" younger Ginny asked as she glanced up on his parents.

"Yes… I, uh, ran into him the day Teddy was born actually," his father spoke slowly as all the Weasleys eyes were on him. "I was going around telling everyone the news and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all at Bill and Fleur's cottage."

"They were where? Why? Are they alright?" Mr. Weasley spoke up, concern lacing his words.

"They're fine. I suspect they're gone now. Anyways, I told Harry about Teddy. I asked him to be his godfather."

"Remus said he was so happy and excited," his mom added. "I wish I could have been there when he was asked. I know how much it meant to Remus to ask Harry."

Teddy smiled and wondered if his godfather would show him that memory. It was one he'd like to see.

"Well, come sit down you two," Mrs. Weasley ushered them into the living room. "You must be exhausted with a newborn. Up all night."

The group made their way to the couches and chairs. Ginny let Teddy slid out of her arms. He trailed after his parents. His father sat down on the couch, his elbow propped up on the armrest and his cheek resting in his hand. His mother took the other side of the couch. There was a small space in-between them. Teddy walked cautiously over and sat down between his parents.

He watched teenage Ginny sit down slowly with baby Teddy in her arms, her face never leaving his. His Ginny stood next to her younger self; a smile spread across her face as she looked down at the baby. The other Weasleys took various spots around the room.

"How's parenthood treating you?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Oh, Merlin, I'm so worried I'm going to run into something while I'm carrying him and drop him," his mother admitted. "I make Remus follow me around like a little puppy when I'm walking with him so he can save him."

"Well, you haven't dropped him yet so that's a good start," his dad replied.

"I'm on day four, no tripping with Teddy," his mum smiled brightly. "Must be a record for me."

"Oh, Ginny, you've had him too long," Mrs. Weasley said. "You have to _share_ him. Everyone wants to hold him."

"My turn," said George.

"No, my turn," said Fred.

"I'll fight you for him!"

"Remus always liked me better in school. Told me I was the smarter twin."

"Tonks always liked me better, said I was the more handsome twin."

"A Muggle's duel then, let's go!"

The twins had rammed into one other, falling to the ground. They were rolling around, laughing and throwing playful insults at one another. Teddy couldn't help but laugh at their antics. He glanced up at Ginny to see she was crying silently, a tear rolling down her cheek. Teddy's smile faded.

"Ginny, are you okay?" he called out, part of him wanting to hug her and part of him wanting to stay on the couch with his parents.

"I'm fine," she responded as she wiped away the tears with the back of her hand. "I forgot how bloody stupid they were together."

"Merlin, those two remind me so much of James and Sirius when they were in school," his father murmured.

"Enough! Both of you, get up! Neither one of you will hold the baby if you can't act like mature adults," Mrs. Weasley snapped as she crossed the room to Ginny with her arms out to take the baby.

"Oh, I thought we'd start taking bets soon, Molly," his mother spoke up in amusement. "I was placing my bets on the handsome one."

"Oi, you see, more handsome!" George shouted in victory and Fred pushed him. "It's the lack of ear, that is. Shows I got heart, risking my life on the battlefield, losing an ear in an epic battle of good versus evil."

"What can I say? I like my men to look a little rough on the edges," his mum said with a smile as she glanced over his father. "Scars look good on a man."

Teddy turned to look at his mother closely. She looked so young, so happy, so vibrant. She reminded him a little of Ginny. Both women joked around a lot, had nice smiles, had sparkling eyes. Teddy wanted to reach out and touch her but knew that wasn't an option. He remembered trying to touch his father's arm while he was in Harry's memory. It had glided right through him.

"He is an angel," Mrs. Weasley whispered. "Arthur, look how precious he is."

"You sort of forget how tiny they are when they're first born," commented Mr. Weasley. "It seems so long ago."

Teddy leaned back in the couch as he listened to the Weasleys fawn over baby him. His gaze bounced between his mother and his father, never quite knowing who to look out. He was only vaguely aware that he had been smiling the entire time but certainly noticed once his cheeks began to hurt. It seemed like forever he sat there, listening to normal conversations with his normal family. His heart ached for the normalcy, for a mom and a dad who would be happy to spend an afternoon with him chatting about Quidditch or the weather.

At last, Teddy watched his parents stand up, his father cuddling the mass of blankets in his arms. They bid farewell to the Weasleys. Teddy followed them to the door, watched as they exited. He even went as far as to press his nose against the window and watched them disappear with a soft _crack!_ Ginny's hand was suddenly on his shoulder and he found himself being pulled out of the memory.

When they arrived back into the living room of the flat, Teddy noticed his godfather was home and waiting for them. He sat in the armchair, his head resting in his hands. He smiled softly in greeting when the two appeared.

"What are you doing home so early?" Ginny questioned.

Teddy, however, did not complain. He went bounding towards his godfather and quickly climbed into his lap. His arms threw themselves around his neck and he launched into his adventures with Ginny in the Pensieve. Harry listened intently, nodding his head and asking questions.

"… And then we left the memory and saw you," Teddy finished breathlessly. "Can you show me your memory of when you first met me?"

"I can another day. Right now, I got some news."

"What's wrong?" questioned Ginny.

"Nothing's wrong," replied Harry pleasantly. "You know, Teddy, Ginny and I have been looking for a house. I think I found a good one. Would you like to go see it?"

"YES!"

Teddy soon found himself walking in-between Ginny and Harry with his hands clenched in theirs. They were making their way to the parking garage beneath the flat. Harry led them to an alcove tucked away in the shadows. Harry's hand was on his shoulder and suddenly, Teddy felt himself being sucked through a vacuum.

They landed in front of a two-story house in a suburban neighborhood. The houses were fairly far apart and not at all like Grimmauld Place. The three of them walked quickly into the home before they could be seen.

Teddy glanced around the living room – a large fireplace situated in the corner, a glass door leading to an office, a grand staircase, an open doorway that led to the back of the house. Teddy was in awe. His grandmum's house had been half the size and Harry's flat suddenly felt like a cupboard compared to the new house.

"I wanna show you something, Teddy."

Harry motioned for Teddy to follow him up the staircase. Ginny grasped his hand in hers and walked up the stairs. There were five doors and Harry led him to one on the right side of the house. Opening it, he beckoned Teddy inside.

Teddy took a step him, his eyes immediately falling on the bay window. Images of his grandmum's house flooded his mind, his plush werewolf collection had always been displayed on his window. When his grandmum died, he had only taken Moony with him to his godfather's flat. He wondered if Harry could grab the rest of the plush wolves so he could put them back where they belonged – with him on a window seat.

"I thought this could be your room." Harry spoke softly.

"I love it!" Teddy said breathlessly as he turned around to give his godfather a hug.

Harry showed them the rest of the house – four bedrooms and three baths. The most impressive part of the house was the backyard. It was _massive_ and perfect for playing Quidditch. It was private too. Trees lined the backyard and towered into the sky. No one would be able to see in the backyard. He listened to Harry as he told Ginny it was in a Muggle neighborhood and he doubted that any wizards lived nearby.

"I got one more surprise," Harry announced as they stood in the massive eat-in kitchen. "I've arranged with Kingsley and Vidar about leaving the country for the weekend. Fleur's family owns a cottage in France on the water. I thought we could go Friday night and come back Sunday night. Be able to walk around a bit, get out of the house. I've arranged with Hermione and Professor Flitwick to come to the house and ward it while we're away. They're going to make it unplottable amongst other things for the time being. When we get back, we can move in."

"You're going to take a vacation?" Ginny sounded skeptical but Teddy was smiling.

"Kingsley's arranged two international portkeys for us without registering them officially. I've also given him an old DA coin so that if anything happens – if Cronus attacks, I can activate the portkey early and get back to London."

"I'm just shocked is all," Ginny replied.

"Look, Teddy's been housebound for too long. You're now under house arrest because of the pregnancy. We can't very well go out anywhere in England with Cronus about. I thought it'd be a nice few days. To get some fresh air and go out to eat."

"Who all knows about this trip?"

"You, Teddy, and me of course. Kingsley and Vidar at the Ministry. Ron, Hermione, and Flitwick so they can fix up the house. Fleur, Bill, and Fleur's parents. Fleur's parents are adding extra wards to the cottage today for us. I've thought this out. We'll be safe."

Two days later, Teddy was beyond excited. He rushed around his room packing a backpack with a few toys, books, and Moony. Ginny was pulling out a couple of outfits from his closet and folding them on his bed. She was grabbing socks, shoes, underwear, pajamas, and his Harpies fleece blanket.

Teddy had never been so happy to leave London before. In fact, he couldn't even really remember ever leaving the United Kingdom before. He wanted to get away with Harry and Ginny, get away from the Order of the Phoenix, get away from Cronus, get away from everything. When they got back, he'd have another exciting week of moving into their new house.

"Hey," Harry greeted in the doorway to Teddy's room, causing Ginny to jump and withdraw her wand.

"Blimey, Harry, you scared me!" Ginny sighed as she put away her wand. "Can you make some more noise next time?"

"I had a meeting at Gringotts with Bill and a few of the head goblins. They've agreed to increase their staff by twenty percent and allow no more than two Aurors within the lobby of Gringotts at a time. They're not to interfere with business, not to talk to anyone, and basically just keep an eye on the door. It's a start," Harry spoke calmly as he sat down on Teddy's bed, careful not to disrupt Ginny's packing. "So, I came home a little early after the meeting."

Teddy dropped his backpack onto his floor. It was becoming much too heavy to walk around with anymore. He strolled casually to his bed and took a seat next to his godfather who immediately reached out to ruffle his hair.

They arrived at the small house by the ocean via the portkey (it was an old rusted ladle) by seven at night. The house was decorated in sandy tones and baby blues. It reminded Teddy a great deal of the ocean. Windows covered all the walls. Running to the back of the house, Teddy pressed his nose against the glass and watched the ocean roll onto the sandy beaches.

They had a late dinner in, chatting about their days. Teddy talked excitedly about the new house, about being at the beach, about finally being able to do something that didn't involve Grimmauld Place.

The next morning, Ginny laid on her bed, an arm over her eyes and the other resting on top of Teddy's head. His own head used Ginny's flat stomach as a pillow. He concentrated, trying to hear the baby or feel the baby move. Nothing happened at all. Teddy began to think they were mistaken about the baby and, perhaps, Ginny had just been sick for the past couple weeks.

Shortly after breakfast, Ginny had run out of the kitchen to the bathroom. She had been there for a half hour while Teddy sat behind her chatting about Quidditch, the Burrow, Victoire, _anything _he could think of. Harry sat behind her, rubbing her back and shoulders. When Ginny finally moved to the bed, Harry went to the living room to send a Patronus to Fleur to get the morning sickness directions off her.

Teddy stayed silent. His eyes focused on the door as he waited for his godfather to return. He heard Ginny's breathing even out and he wondered briefly if she had fallen asleep. Before long, his godfather wandered into the bedroom. He gave Teddy a brief smile before sitting down next to Ginny and him on the bed.

"You feeling better?" questioned Harry.

"Mmm…" Ginny groaned. "I just can't eat. That's it, I can't eat until this baby comes out. I've made up my mind."

"I can try the spell. Fleur gave me very clear instructions."

Teddy sat up to look at Ginny. Her arm was still covering her eyes. Reaching out a hand, he grasped her hand into his. He wanted to show her he was there for her. It's what Harry always did when Teddy was upset – he'd hold his hand and give it a little squeeze. Teddy squeezed and noticed that Ginny squeezed back.

"Okay, do it. Try it. I'm desperate, Harry. I'm ruining our weekend."

Harry chuckled.

"You're ruining nothing."

Harry muttered an incantation, flicked his wand sharply, and they all held their breath. Very slowly, Ginny took her arm off her eyes and looked around the room. She slid her hand out from Teddy's and slowly sat up.

"Well?" Harry pushed.

"Yeah, _well_?" Teddy mimicked.

"I think I'm going to go shower and we can go out exploring. Maybe we can stop for a snack or something. I threw up all my breakfast," Ginny replied as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

"We're going out?" Teddy half shouted, excitement building up inside of him.

"Yes, but only in the Muggle portion. We're not going to go to any Wizarding parts here, understood?" Harry stressed. "You're to hold mine and Ginny's hands the entire time. We do not separate. We watch out for each other."

They wandered around a Muggle village, grabbed lunch, went shopping, and laughed. Teddy couldn't remember the last time he had had so much fun with Harry and Ginny. He supposed it was before his grandmum died, before Cronus had made his unfortunate appearance. This was the Harry and Ginny Teddy remembered – when they'd go out to the Muggle cinema, go out to dinner, go shopping. Teddy had no problems staying in the Muggle portion of France. They always seemed to stay in the Muggle portion of England anyways when they used to go out. Harry avoided the Wizarding parts like a plague, and Teddy supposed it was because he was apparently so famous.

That evening, they sat out on the back balcony of the cottage. Ginny's elbows were propped on the railing and her gaze was focused on the ocean. Harry promised they could spend the day at the beach the next day before they headed home that night. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow on the ocean. Harry tugged Teddy by the arm, pulling him back a little. His godfather got down on one knee and motioned for Teddy to do the same. He did, feeling silly, and Harry pulled out the ring box that he saw ages ago. The box was flipped open and held in one hand. His free arm snaked around Teddy's shoulders and pulled him close.

"Ginny?" Harry called and she turned around.

Upon seeing them bent down on one knee in front of her, her hands flew to cover her mouth. Her eyes were wide, tears threatening to fall off her eyelashes. Teddy wanted to get up and hug her but he didn't think that's how asking someone to marry you was supposed to go.

"Ginny, you are the most kind, gentle, smart, funny, radiant woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting in my life," his godfather started. "You have been an amazing mother figure towards Teddy, treating my godson as though he were your own. You've been an amazing woman towards me. You make me want to be better. You make me want to be stronger. You make me happier than I have ever been in my entire life. I can't imagine going on without you, having a single day where I don't see your smile and hear your laugh. So, here I am, on one knee, with Teddy, to ask you not just to marry me… but to marry us both. I ask you to be my wife and I ask you to be a mother to my godson. We're sort of a packaged deal, but I think you already knew that. I ask you to make us an official family."

Harry paused. Ginny stood in shocked silence. Teddy thought he out to say something.

"Ginny?" Teddy's small voice squeaked. "You're the coolest person ever. I mean, you're a Quidditch star on the best Quidditch team there is. I think you're super funny and nice. I wanna marry you too! I want you to be my godmother! We can have a happy little family. You and me and Harry and the new baby. We can play Quidditch all the time at the new house. I'll help you cook dinner and help take care of the baby when it comes. We can get a dog. Or a cat. Or even a fish. I don't really care, but can we get a pet? I think it's in the rules. You get married and you get a pet. I'll take care of it."

Ginny was laughing as tears were pouring down her face. She collapsed onto her knees in front of them. She wrapped one arm around Teddy and one arm around Harry and drew them both to her chest.

"Yes, yes, of course," Ginny cried.

She pulled away. Teddy felt Harry's arm leave his shoulders. He reached into the ring box and lifted the diamond out of the box. Ginny held out a shaky hand. Harry slid the ring on her finger. She grabbed either side of his face and the two kissed. Teddy's knee started to hurt so he adjusted until he was sitting on his bottom, his legs crossed with one another. When they parted from their kiss, Ginny turned towards Teddy.

"Come here," she motioned for him to embrace her.

Teddy gladly did just that. He wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed as tightly as he could. He felt her lips brush against the top of his head. Teddy felt a wave of happiness fill him. He could not remember the last time he had been so happy. They pulled away from the embrace and Ginny's smile turned into a look of surprise.

"Teddy, your hair…" she trailed off.

He frowned, his eyes rolling upwards to catch a glimpse of his hair but he could not. He frowned slightly in confusion.

"It's red," Ginny supplied. "You changed your hair color! You look like a Weasley."

He changed his hair? He actually transformed? It had been months since he could transform anything about himself. He had lost the ability when his grandmum died. Teddy licked his lips, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards. There were no thoughts of Cronus or Order meetings at Grimmauld Place. There were no fears of Harry and Ginny getting hurt or worse. There was just a small ball of joy that filled his heart.

**Please, don't forget to review! Up to chapter 17 is finished so I will probably update Wednesday/Thursday.**


	14. The Battle of Gringotts

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Thirteen: The Battle of Gringotts"**

The week had passed in a blur since they had gotten back from France. Ginny and Teddy spent their days while Harry was at work packing up the flat. His nights at home were spent packing as well. All Harry saw was boxes scattered around every inch of the apartment, making it hard to maneuver around.

When Saturday came, all the Weasleys had appeared in the tiny flat to move Harry, Ginny, and Teddy to their new home. Harry had connected the floo from his flat to the new house temporarily for the weekend. After that, he wanted to close the passageway until the whole Cronus mess was taken care of.

"Okay, we're doing this in pairs. Everyone takes a box and unpack the room. Each box is assigned to a room and each box holds everything for that room in the main box," Ginny instructed.

Harry teamed up with Teddy. He grabbed the box with his godson's name written on it in Ginny's careful writing and disappeared upstairs. Opening the box, Harry pulled out a tiny bed. Setting it down in the corner of the room, Harry stepped back and flicked his wand. The bed grew bigger and bigger until it was its normal size. The bed had already been made neatly by Ginny that morning when they woke up before she transfigured it into a dollhouse piece.

Harry arranged the furniture first, listening to Teddy as he commented where he thought everything should go. Transfiguring a picture frame, Harry stilled. He saw Remus and Tonks beaming up at him, a baby Teddy in Tonks' arms. She glanced down at her son, a smile radiating across her face. Remus waved briefly at Harry before gesturing towards the bundle in his wife's arms. He had gotten the picture from Andromeda's cottage upon Teddy's request. In fact, he spent two lunch breaks the past week packing up some stuff to take to the new house. With more square footage, he was able to bring more of Teddy's things over than he originally had to the small flat.

Teddy took the picture, a sad smile crossing his features as he sat the picture down carefully on his nightstand. His fingers shook, as though he were worried about breaking the frame, as he adjusted it on the table. He cocked his head to the side, his hair going from black to a bubblegum pink and quickly to a sandy brown. Since Teddy gained his abilities back, the boy was often seen spotting black hair like Harry's or sandy brown like his father. He tested out his mother's signature pink, but commented that he didn't like it as much.

Harry pulled out another box to go through while Teddy grabbed his backpack off the floor and threw it onto his bed. He took Moony out and sat him on his pillow, the plush facing the picture. Harry flicked his wand, all of Teddy's books floated out of the box and placed themselves neatly onto the bookcase.

"This is our new home," Harry heard Teddy whisper his to Moony plush. "I think you'll like it here."

"Come downstairs everyone!" Mrs. Weasley shouted from below. "Lunch!"

Harry pocketed his wand and stared at Teddy who was now gazing at the picture of his parents. He walked slowly towards him, a hand resting on the boy's shoulder. Teddy jumped slightly, turning his attention to his godfather.

"I think there's lunch downstairs. You hungry?"

"Yeah…" Teddy trailed off, his eyes flicking to his parent's picture before he grabbed Moony under the crook of his arm and reached out his free hand for his godfather.

When they made it downstairs, the Weasleys were situated around the kitchen. Most were standing around and some sat at the table. Everyone was eating pizza from the island in the middle of the kitchen. Harry grabbed a paper plate and placed a piece on it for Teddy. He handed the plate to his godson who took it and walked over to the table where Ginny, Fleur, Victoire, and Mrs. Weasley were seated.

"Who got pizza? Harry asked.

"Ron and I did," Hermione said between bites. "There's a Muggle shop about half a mile away. Thought it'd be easiest just to grab something."

"How do you like the new house, Teddy?" Harry heard Mrs. Weasley ask.

"Thanks," Harry nodded at his best friends as he made his way over to the table.

"It's a lot bigger," Teddy said thoughtfully. "I just hope I don't get lost."

Ginny and Fleur smiled at the small boy as Harry sat down in-between Fleur and Teddy.

"Harry got a lot of my stuff from grandmum's," Teddy continued. "I forgot I had some of it. There wasn't enough space in the flat for it all."

"Well, I think your room at least doubled in size, if not more," Ginny commented.

"I never understood why you had that flat, Harry," Mrs. Weasley commented thoughtfully. "You should have bought a big house to begin with."

"Well," Harry said as his pizza dangled from his fingertips, "I was in training and never home. During the week, it was just me. Almost every single night, I was either at the Burrow or Andromeda's for dinner. On the weekends, Teddy and I normally went out to different places. I just never saw the need for more space until recently."

"I liked the flat," Teddy spoke up in his godfather's defense. "There was that cool park down at the corner. Harry and I always used to walk to the village. There was a bunch of restaurants and stores and the market. Harry and I always walked around town together. There was that good ice cream shop and the bakery. It even had that toy store with Mr. Gregory who would always order me all those plush wolves once he found out I liked them."

Teddy frowned. He remembered going into the toy shop when Teddy was just a baby and started buying the wolf plush toys. Mr. Gregory had always looked for them for new and interesting ones. He remembered, one day, when Teddy was three years old, he told Mr. Gregory his father had been a werewolf. The man had just smiled and listened to the small child. Once out of earshot, the man had told Harry that his godson had a fun imagination. That's when he started trying to find more and more plush wolves. Every Christmas, Mr. Gregory always gave him one on the house. In fact, everyone knew Harry and his orphaned godson around town. They probably wondered where the pair had gone.

After lunch, everyone departed from the house. Harry, Ginny, and Teddy looked around the house with exhausted faces. Empty, full, and half-full boxes littered the walls. They were all too tired to finish unpacking. Instead, they decided to play a game of Exploding Snap and unwind until bed.

It came that night, like a thief in the night. It slithered slippery through the window and whirled around Harry and Ginny, stirring them from their slumber. He sat up, his hand reaching automatically for his glasses. The otter hovered around the bottom of the bed, silvery and translucent.

"Gringotts," came an all too familiar female voice. "Now."

Harry was out of bed before the otter Patronus could even finish its two simple words. He grabbed a shirt and shoved it over his head. Grabbing a pair of jeans out of the drawer, he stuffed his legs in quickly. Ginny had summoned his shoes from the closet as he stuffed his feet in, sockless, as quickly as he could. As he grabbed his wand from the nightstand, he saw the green light of a clock showing it was 2:46 in the morning.

Then, Harry ran. He made his way through the house, bypassing boxes that had not yet been unpacked in the upstairs hallway. He could hear Ginny after him, as they ran down the stairs.

"Harry!" Ginny called after him. "Be safe! Send me a Patronus as soon as you can."

They were at the front door. Harry turned around quickly, his chest heaving. He wrapped a hand around the back of her head and pulled her into a bruising kiss. Pulling back, he allowed a hand to rest on her stomach, his heart constricting oddly.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too."

He wrenched open the front door, not bothering to close it, and ran down the street to the corner so he was outside of the wards of the house. He looked back briefly, seeing a blob of red in their doorway before he was gone.

The next second, he was standing in Diagon Alley. As soon as he landed on his feet, a spark of purple flew by his head. He dodged out of the way and started running towards the magnificent white building. He saw swirls of light, spells being casted all over the place. He saw a mass of people and goblins fighting outside the bank and those dashing into the bank. People were Apparating all over Diagon Alley, their wands out.

Harry felt the adrenaline coursing through his veins as he ran towards Gringotts. A masked figure shot a spark of deep orange towards him. His wand raised effortlessly, flicking sharply to deflect the spell. Licking his lips, he shot a Body Binding Spell. He had every intention of getting as many of Cronus' lackeys arrested as possible. He wanted as many interrogations as he could muster.

A Cruciatus Curse flew his way. Harry Disapparated out of its way and reappeared a foot to the right. His eyes scanned the sea of people to see where the curse had originated. His gaze spotted a familiar man with blonde hair with a mask hiding his face. He mostly placed shields up and dodged spells. Harry knew immediately that Malfoy was attempting to hold his own without actually cursing anybody.

A curse grazed Harry's shoulder, a stinging sensation spread down his entire arm. Luckily, it had not been his wand arm. Shaking out the limb, he tried to get rid of the feeling as he whipped around with his wand raised. He shot a Disarming Spell silently; the spell slightly overcharged and caused the man to stumbled backwards. His wand escaped his fingers. With another jab of his wand arm, his opponent's wand snapped midair.

Harry took two steps back, screams filling the streets of Diagon Alley. He was off, running as fast as he could towards Gringotts. He wanted to get inside, wanted to see how well the goblins had been holding off the siege of the bank.

He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, his feet moving as though out of control. Blue and purple sparks darted in front of him, Harry just narrowly stopping. Reeling to the right, he sent a Freezing Charm towards another one of Cronus' men. He avoided it, casting a Shield Charm. A battle was on instantly. Their wands both darted through the air like shining swords. Harry could barely think, sending whatever spell that popped into his mind towards his opponent.

While trying to send another Disarming Charm, Harry didn't have enough time to switch the position of his wand to cast a shield at the Blasting Curse hurling towards it. The spell collided with the floor in front of Harry, making him soar through the air until his back collided with a building. The bricks cracked around his back, his wand slipping from his grasp. All the air had escaped his lungs. Before he knew it, the man was in front of him with his wand pointed directly at Harry's heart. He stilled, his mouth suddenly becoming very dry.

Then, out of nowhere, Ron Weasley had tackled the man from the side. Their bodies collided with the cobblestone street, one of their wands flew from their hand but Harry couldn't tell which one was vulnerable. Harry, hissing in pain, attempted to stand up, his legs buckling underneath him. His knees hit the ground and his hands flew out in front of him, one catching a very jagged rock. The pain in his hands intensified. He reached out a shaky hand and grasped his wand, fully aware that his hand was bleeding from the impact. Standing up on shaky feet, he saw Neville Longbottom racing towards Ron and Harry. He threw a curse over his shoulder with ease without missing a step.

Harry's wand was out, trained on Cronus' accomplice as he waited for an opportunity to fling a cure. He didn't dare send one with the two rolling around on the ground – he didn't want to hurt his best friend by mistake. Harry saw Ron's fingers clenched around his wand. Harry glided his own wand to the discarded wand. With a flick of his wrist, the wand snapped in half.

Ron was standing up, slashing his wand furious at his opponent and petrified him. Harry briefly saw his best friend turn to look at him. When they both saw that each other were fine, Harry darted off. He was two doors away from the bank's entrance.

A flash of green light flew through the night sky, the Dark Mark shining in the stars. The snake slithered out of the skull's mouth. Then, another, more threatening green light was hurled towards Harry. There was a statue of Dumbledore that had been erected in Diagon Alley not long after the war had ended. Harry pointed his wand at the statue and flicked his wrist. The statue of Dumbledore dove in front of him and the Killing Curse hit it square in the chest. The statue exploded.

After the dust cleared, Harry shot a Freezing Spell at the culprit of the Killing Curse. He dodged to the right, nearly avoiding it. Shooting a Disarming Spell, the opponent blocked it with a shield. Pointing his wand at the bits of broken Dumbledore, Harry pelted the bits of stone at the enemy. One hit him square in the face, causing him to fall over in a heap. Harry snapped the wizard's wand with a wave of his own wand

His gaze caught sight of Hermione who was fighting two wizards at once. She was panting, a panicked look crossing her features. She was going to lose the duel. She was being forced to reflect every spell thrown at her, never getting a chance to hurl her own. Harry's wand drifted upwards and stopped on the ginormous stone dragon that sat on top of Gringotts Bank. He shot a spell at the dragon, watching as it roared to life.

He jerked his wand back, beckoning the stone dragon down from its perch. Its wings spread out, bits of stone flaking off. Harry's wand arm glided through the air, the dragon following the movements. His wand stopped, pointing at the two men battling Hermione. The dragon dove towards them. One of the two faltered in his attacks, a scream escaped his lips. There were two pops at they both Disapparated. The dragon, unable to stop, smashed into the ground, breaking up into multiple large pieces.

Hermione whipped around, her eyes wide and breath hitched in her throat. A smile twitched on her lips and she mouthed her thanks. Harry merely nodded.

Turning his attention back to Gringotts, Harry was nearly there. His legs were running on autopilot. There was a sickening sound, a loud booming rang throughout the village. Harry didn't realize what that was until it was too late. Half of Gringotts white bricks were flying through the air. Someone had blasted a hole right through the side of the building. People screamed, some Apparated out while others dove for cover. Harry stumbled when a white brick slammed into his face. He fell to the floor in a heap, a whistling noise ringing in his ear.

There was darkness.

Harry didn't know how long he had been out, but he was positive that he had only passed out momentarily. He could hear spells being shouted, people screaming, people crying, people cursing. The sounds around him sounded like they were coming through a waterlogged radio. A new, intense pain radiated throughout his body. Fresh aches wracked his body as exhaustion started to settle in. He managed to blink away the dust rising around him, his eyes blurrily looking at his surroundings.

There was a gash on the right side of his face. He felt the blood pouring down his cheek and neck. With every ounce of energy he had left, Harry planted his hands onto the ground and forced his legs under him. He was on all fours, his head bobbing up to see the bodies of the dead and unconscious Cronus' supporters, Aurors, and Order members littered in the debris around him. In the distance, those who had not been affected by the blast, were still fighting without missing a beat.

Harry attempted to stand, his body protesting with each strain. A new wave of pain overcame him and he collapsed back on the floor. A groan escaped his chapped lips and his eyes were forced close to get rid of the rapidly appearing dots in front of him. Once the wave of dizziness subsided, Harry braced himself for another attempt to stand.

Successful in his second attempt, he turned around to catch a look at the damage. Half of Gringotts was gone. He could see inside the building - the floor and walls were cracked in various spots. He wondered if the building would crumble. The goblins desks were smashed to the ground that was littered with debris, papers, and bodies. A ginormous dragon stood in the entryway of where the vaults were located. A broken chain was looped around the dragon's neck as he spewed fire at anything that attempted to go near him.

Intuition told Harry to turn to his left. As he did, he saw Cronus walking casually towards him. Both their wands raised instantly. Cronus had, unfortunately, not been affected by the blast. Harry's fingers tightened around the wood, his wand slippery from blood, the taste and smell of metallic overcame his senses. His head pounded painfully, his body tense.

The Cruciatus Curse hurled at Harry who threw up a powerful Shield Charm. The curse rebounded off the blue orb and hurled back at Cronus who Disapparated and Apparated back a mere five seconds later. In three jerks of his wand, Harry sent out a Disarming Spell, a Freezing Spell, and Body Binding Spell in rapid succession, hoping one would stick. Cronus avoided the first two and shielded the last with little effort. The fight was on.

It was a whirl of colors, spells flying wordlessly under the moonlight. Blue shields lit up the sky. Adrenaline pumped through Harry's veins, the pain in his joints and muscles momentarily gone. The two of the Disapparated and Apparated frequently as they dodged curses and spells. Harry was not aware of anything going on around him. He was focused solely on Cronus and ending it then and there.

Harry drew back his wand sharply, teeth bearing like a snapping turtle. With everything within him, with every single magical particle he could summon, he jabbed his wand forward. A red and orange swirl jetted from the tip of his wand at high speed. Cronus did not have time to duck, to shield, or Disapparate. The spell landed on the shoulder of his wand arm. There was a sickening crack as his bones snapped in half. Cronus screamed in agony, his wand dropping from his fingertips.

Harry licked the blood off his lower lip, took a step backward with his right leg and drew his wand high above his head. A nasty sneer worked its way onto his face. This was it. This was the end of Cronus. He swooped the wand down as lilac sparks emitted. In a blink of an eye, Cronus had Disapparated and the spell hurled and collided with a brick building.

Pops could be heard throughout Diagon Alley. Many of the battles around them must have halted while Harry and Cronus battled. Cronus' allies were disappearing everywhere as soon of their leader had left. Harry felt a breath escape his lips as his body sagged. The pain that had left his body was back with a vengeance. He leaned dangerous to the side and he felt himself falling. He vaguely registered people calling his name but he paid no attention to them as his body crashed into some brick debris. His eyes were closing shut, the voices sounded like they were screaming through a very long tunnel. The only thought in his mind was that they had won – they had won the Battle of Gringotts. They had successfully kept Cronus from taking one of the pillars of the Wizarding World. Then, there was darkness for the second time that evening.

The next thing Harry knew was a sterile smell. It assaulted his senses in an unpleasant way. He forced his eyes open, seeing only white. He was laying down on an uncomfortable bed, the covers around him were stiff. A groan emitted from his throat as he turned his head looking for his glasses. He spotted the blurry outline of them and reached out a shaky hand to grasp them. Settling them on his face, he struggled into a sitting position to look around the room.

There was a couch situated along the wall. He instantly saw Ginny lounged awkwardly in a seated position sleeping with her head lolled to the side in an uncomfortable position. On her lap was the head of his godson, hair black as night. He too was sleeping. Next to the couch was a chair which housed a tired, albeit awake Ron Weasley.

"Hi," Ron said lazily as he stood up from the chair.

There was a cut above his right eye that disappeared into his hairline. His left arm was situated in a sling. Other than that, his best mate seemed perfectly fine and unharmed.

"Hey," Harry responded.

"We apprehended twenty-seven of Cronus' men. Four were found dead. We also obtained Cronus' wand. Three Aurors were killed, two members of the Magical Law Enforcement are dead, and a whole slew of injuries. Too many to count to be honest."

"Who died?" Harry felt his chest constrict.

"Marcus Flannigan. Isabel Morris. Warren Venture. Maggie Tenn. Greg Shepard."

Harry saw Ginny stirring out of the corner of his eye.

"Vidar's injured pretty bad. They're giving him a twenty-five percent chance of survival. If he survives, Healers are saying he'll be down for the next three months at least. Kingsley was by… he wants you to be interim Head of the Auror Department until Vidar's back at work."

"Yeah…"

Harry's mouth was dry. His head swimming with a million thoughts. He wanted nothing more than to collapse backwards and let sleep rush over him.

"You gained a concussion and some nasty cuts and bruises. You also cracked a few ribs which they repaired but said it's going to be uncomfortable for quite awhile. Other than that, you're good to go home after they check you out. They gave you a sleeping drought to help you repair some internal damage. You've been asleep for over a day now."

"Harry?" a tiny voice spoke up.

Looking beyond Ron, he watched as his godson slowly got off the couch. He inched towards the bed, face white and tear stains on his cheeks. Harry gave what he hoped was an encouraging smile and held out his arms to the tiny child. Teddy burst into a run the rest of the way, clamoring up onto the bed and launching himself at his godfather.

Harry winched in pain, making a strangled noise in the back of his throat as the boy's body collided with his bruised ribs. Teddy, however, did not notice the noise and started heavily crying into his godfather's hospital gown. Wrapping his arms gingerly around the child, Harry laced one set of fingers through the boy's messy locks and the other wrapped around his shoulders.

He didn't know how long they sat on that hospital bed. He murmured comforting words into the hysterical boy's ear. Ron had slipped out the door and Ginny had crossed the room to sit on the foot of the bed. He felt her hand massaging his calf and the small family sat in silence.

A couple hours later, Harry found himself back at their new home. Harry sank down into the couch, his arm wrapped tenderly around his chest. Ginny disappeared into the kitchen to make lunch and Teddy sat down next to his godfather with his bottom lip tucked securely between his teeth.

"I'm fine, Teddy," he spoke evenly. "Nothing a couple days rest won't solve."

"But, Harry," Teddy started but Harry waved a hand in his direction.

"Trust me, I've been worse before. This is nothing."

There was a pecking at the window. Harry turned around, immediately regretting his decision as his ribs screamed in protest, to see an unfamiliar owl sitting outside the window.

"Teddy, can you let the owl in?" Harry hissed through pain as he slowly turned around.

His godson rose from his spot and disappeared from Harry's view. He heard the window open, a rustling, Teddy's soft voice saying, "Good girl", the window closing, and the floorboards creaking softly. The boy sank back down next to his godfather and held out a letter.

Harry took it, seeing his name scrolled on the front of the letter. Opening in, he read:

_Potter,_

_ You've officially gotten under Cronus' skin. He is livid with you to be without his wand and with a broken shoulder. He, apparently, wasn't smart enough to recruit a Healer into his ranks. He has vowed, most vehemently, to make you suffer the most painful death imaginable. He's even commented about setting up a nice little prison cell for you where he can torture you for a bit before he does you off. _

_ Cronus has now set up a system of paranoia. He has spies spying on his own members. He feels he has one of your men in his ranks. Luckily, due to pure dumb luck, he doesn't suspect me. He keeps calling me cousin and slapping me on the shoulder like we grew up together. I am now spying on fellow Cronus members. While, he says he trusts me entirely, I do bare some wonder if this is, perhaps, part of some larger plan._

_ I will not be attending Order meetings for the next month. I want to lie low until he calls off his spying. I will not be caught and murdered. Before you question my decision to write this in a letter, I'm not stupid. I have enchanted the ink so only someone with the last name of Potter is able to read this letter. Don't believe me, why don't you have your little wolf cub look at the parchment. He'll see a blank sheet of parchment. I've used an owl that is not mine._

_ This is how I will communicate any important information. I will contact you – you do not contact me. I don't want to be in a meeting with Cronus and have your blasted owl coming through to blow my cover. If you need to talk, please, write my mother saying you're whoever you want and you've been bitten by a vicious werewolf and you need some potions for an easy transition. Shouldn't be too hard for you to remember – you have a soft spot for werewolves after all. Be sure to write vicious in your letter. Maybe, perhaps, write it a few times so I know for sure it is you. I'll then write you back with a meeting time and place._

_Draco_

Harry frowned, his blood boiling. He glanced over at Teddy and handed him the bit of parchment.

"Can you see anything on this?"

Teddy glanced down at the parchment. His eyes scanned over it before flipping it over to look at the back. Glancing up at his godfather, he shook his head in the negative.

"Who sent you a blank sheet of paper?" Teddy questioned.

"No one," was Harry's only response.

He leaned back into the couch, his eyes suddenly heavy with sleep. He vaguely heard Ginny calling them for lunch, but he did not move. He muttered at Teddy to go ahead and he'd be in later. All he wanted to do was sleep.

**Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! I'm nearly done writing it which is both a happy and sad feeling. Please, leave a ****review!**


	15. Memories

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Fourteen: Memories"**

Harry took off two days from work after the Battle of Gringotts. He was, unfortunately, holed up in his office for large periods of time writing owls and writing his report.

Teddy and Ginny put together various rooms around the house. Ginny even let the small child help decorate and chose where to put things. More often than not, she turned on the radio and the two of them listened to music while they worked. It was a nice distraction and nice to have something to do besides being bored in their old flat.

It was after dinner on the night Harry was meant to go back to work. Teddy was curled up along Ginny's side. She was reading him a story when Harry walked in with two large boxes. He sat them down on the floor, sitting them side by side. Ginny had stopped reading which was probably good because Teddy had stopped listening.

"What are those?" Ginny asked.

"I found them at Andromeda's when I went to pack up some stuff," Harry replied. "One's a box of your mum's old stuff and one's a box of your dad's old stuff."

Teddy slid off the couch. Harry was sitting cross legged on the floor, opening one of the boxes to peer inside. The box read _Remus Lupin_ as Teddy recognized his father's name. He sat down next to Harry who had taken out a photo album. Ginny had made her way over as well and sat on the other side of Teddy.

Opening the photo album, Teddy saw pictures that looked older with younger kids. They were in Hogwarts robes.

"That's your dad," Harry said as he pointed to a tall, lanky boy on the end. "That's Sirius Black, my godfather, and that's James Potter, my dad."

Sirius was standing next to Remus. He was shorter with jet black hair and warm gray eyes that held a light of laughter in them. Next to him, was a boy who was slightly taller than Sirius. He looked amazingly like his godfather. Messy, jet black hair with glasses perched on his nose.

"Who's that?" Teddy asked as he pointed to a short, plump boy.

"Peter Pettigrew," Harry responded in a funny tone. "He was their friend in school but… he didn't remain friends with them for long after school."

"Why? Did they have a falling out?"

"Something like that," Harry said mysteriously.

They flipped through the pages, gradually watching the four friends as they grew older at Hogwarts. Teddy noted that some of the pictures were missing and inquired to his godfather where all the pictures were. Harry said he had an album of his own that was given to him when he was at Hogwarts. He suspected that quite a few pictures had been collected from Remus at that time. Harry stopped on one photo. It was just Remus and a girl with long, flowing, red hair. She had a tight smile on her face and Remus looked uncomfortable next to her. They both had shiny badges pinned to their robes with a large P on them.

"That's my mum," Harry supplied. "They were Prefects together."

Harry's mum didn't appear in any more pictures until closer to the end of the album. Teddy could tell that they had reached seventh year when he saw James and Lily housing matching HB and HG badges on their robes. His dad, at this point, seemed much more comfortable with Lily in the following pictures. The five of them often looked like they were joking with one another, laughing, and carrying on.

Quickly, they got to post-Hogwarts and Teddy saw a baby Harry in some of the photos. There were a lot more pictures missing from this portion of the book than there had from the Hogwarts days.

Teddy peered inside the box. There were old textbooks of his father's that had written notes in the margins. There was an old watch with a worn leather band. The face showed the lunar cycle. He held out the watch to Harry and stick out his arm who carefully secured it around the boy's wrist. There was an old shoebox filled with letters. Drawings of various animals together – a wolf, a stag, a dog, and a rat. Old school notes. A collection of Chocolate Frog cards.

As he was shifting through the contents, Harry picked up the old shoebox and started going through some of the letters. Some he discarded back in the box quickly while others he took the time to read. Teddy saw a tiny box. He grabbed onto it and hauled it out. Inside there was a dog collar with a dog tag on it that read _Moony. _There was also a note with it which Teddy asked his godfather to read out loud.

"_Dear Moony, Happy Birthday. I thought since you got me a dog collar for my birthday, it was only fitting that I got you a wolf collar for your birthday. Be sure to put it on before the full moon each month and I'll have Prongs put mine on after I transform every month. We could be twins. Ta, Padfoot."_

"Transform?" Teddy questioned.

"When my dad and Sirius found out your dad was a werewolf, they became illegal Animagi. My dad was a stag called Prongs and Sirius was a dog called Padfoot. While animals, they could be with your dad in wolf form. A werewolf is only a danger to humans during the full moon."

"Are you an Animagus too?"

"No," Harry said with a laugh. "I don't think I'd have the use or the patience to become one either. I looked up the process to do it after I found out about my dad and Sirius… it did not seem like a pleasant process."

"I wanna become one," Teddy said thoughtfully. "Do you get to pick your animal? I'd want to be a wolf like my dad."

"I don't think it works that way, Teddy."

Teddy shrugged his shoulders. He got up and grabbed Moony from where he left him on the couch. He held out the plush and the collar for Ginny to take and asked her to help him put it on. Once on, the small boy smiled brightly.

Once done going through his dad's box, Teddy moved to get closer to his mum's box. Ginny moved with him as Harry was still busy going through the letters. Ginny looked through the photo album with him. His mother's spanned from the time she was a baby to Hogwarts and beyond. Teddy stopped at one picture, a familiar face staring up at him.

"Hey, Harry, look, it's Sirius in this picture."

Teddy held up the photo album for his godfather to see. His had been his grandparents standing side by side. A small Nymphadora probably around his age stood in front of them. A teenage Sirius Black stood next to his grandmother with his arm wrapped around her shoulder. It looked like it had been Christmas when the picture was taken.

"Sirius and your grandmother were cousins," Harry supplied. "He and your dad were a good twelve or thirteen years older than your mum."

"Is that how my parents met? Through Sirius?" Teddy asked as he sat down the photo album.

"Err… they met through the Order of the Phoenix, but I have no doubt that she was probably recruited half because she was a brilliant witch and Auror and half because she was related to Sirius. Sirius always said Andromeda was his favorite cousin… the only one he liked or trusted."

"Was grandmum in the Order?" Teddy asked trying to think about to the picture Bill had given him but he did not remember seeing her there.

"No, I don't think she was. She was friendly with the Order, certainly an ally, but I don't think she was actually ever a member."

He saw his mother's old textbooks, Auror books, Auror robes, Auror badge. Teddy took out the Auror badge to display in his room. He saw pieces of jewelry and a stack of letters – although not nearly as many as his father kept. He gripped the handle of a wand and pulled it out.

"Is this my mum's wand?" Teddy asked curiously.

"Hmm, looks like it," Ginny responded.

"My dad's wand wasn't in his box."

"I gave your grandmother your mum's wand. I kept your dad's. I thought I'd give it to you when you were older… after you already got your wand for school."

"Can't I use one of their wands?"

"The wand chooses the wizard, Teddy, not the other way around. You should have a wand pick you. You can keep your parents' wands as mementos."

"You know," Ginny said thoughtfully, "Neville used to have his dad's old wand in school. He was rubbish at spells, seemed hopeless at magic. Then, it snapped and he had to get a new wand. He was suddenly loads better."

After sorting through the rest of the box, Ginny had announced it was bedtime. She gave the boy a kiss on the cheek and bid him goodnight. Harry walked the boy upstairs; his hands clenched the Prefect and Auror badges in his fists. His godfather offered to carry Moony upstairs for him since his hands were full. Teddy placed the badges together against his lamp before climbing into bed. Moony was tucked in next to him as Harry pulled up the covered around him.

"Goodnight, Teddy," Harry spoke quietly as he reached out to brush a strand of sandy hair out of the boy's eyes.

"'Night, Harry. I love you."

Harry smiled as he turned off the lamp on the bedside table.

"I love you too. See you tomorrow."

With that, Harry was gone. Teddy rolled over on his side and tucked Moony neatly under his chin. He was asleep in seconds with the thoughts of his parents dancing in his head.

The next day, Ginny and Teddy stood outside after breakfast in the yard. She nursed a cup of tea in her hands, a big shawl draped over her shoulders. Teddy zippered up his jacket a little more as he looked up at Ginny for direction.

"Say _up_," she supplied.

Teddy looked down at the broom that was between him and Ginny. She had agreed to give him flying lessons since they now had a backyard with tree coverage. He had never ridden a real broom before. Harry had gotten him a toy one when he was a toddler. He used to zip around grandmum's garden with it, but he never a real broom.

Harry looked disappointed that morning when Ginny asked him if she could teach him to fly. He wanted to be there, wanted to help teach him. Except, he had work and Ginny was willing. _"There's nothing for him to do,"_ Ginny had reasoned with him. Almost begrudgingly, he said yes.

"Uh… up!"

The broom flopped a little bit on the ground but did not lift in the air. He was using Ginny's racing broom. He felt slightly nervous, yet excited that he was going to learn to fly on an official Harpies broom! It even had the team logo embossed on it with Ginny's name and number stamped next to it.

"More confidence, Teddy," Ginny commented as she took a big gulp of tea.

"UP!"

The broom flew up to Teddy's hand, nearly knocking him over. Ginny made a motion to steady the broom but didn't need to in the end. Teddy grinned proudly up at her.

"Okay, good. Mount it now."

Teddy pushed the broom slightly closer to the ground so that he could swing a leg over it. With both feet planted on the ground, he took a deep breath before he pushed off the ground. He started to rise in the air, his hands gripping the handle. Ginny reached out a free hand to ensure the broom didn't go too high.

"Stay close to the ground until you get comfortable," she told him. "I don't want to make an emergency trip to St. Mungo's."

Teddy zipped around the background, not flying higher than Ginny was tall. He flew all around Ginny, hearing her laughter ring throughout the backyard as he waved at her every time he passed her.

They had flown later in the day. So, when Teddy spotted Harry enter the backyard through the backdoor with his own broom in his hand, he was not surprised. Harry loosened the tie around his neck as he casually mounted his broom. He flew over towards Ginny, bid her a good afternoon and gave her a quick peck on the lips, before he flew over towards Teddy.

"Ginny won't let you go any higher, will she?"

"She said I could when I was comfortable," replied Teddy.

"Want to go higher with me?"

Teddy nodded his head. He turned towards Ginny, giving her a little wave. He watched as she pulled her wand from her pocket and watched the two cautiously.

"Stay close to him, Harry!" Ginny shouted.

Teddy spotted his godfather playfully roll his eyes with a small smirk spreading across his face. Godson and godfather rose higher into the air. Harry stayed close to him, one hand on his broom and the other ready to reach over to help Teddy if need be. Teddy, however, did not need any help at all. He was nearly as tall as the trees that hid their backyard from view.

That's when Teddy saw a shadow of a person walking in the tree line. He squinted, trying to make out who the figure was but he was too high up to get a glimpse of the face. He turned towards Harry who had pulled out a Golden Snitch from his pocket. He obviously had not seen the figure below.

An internal war raged within Teddy. He thought briefly of showing his godfather the figure lurking within the trees. Another part of him pushed that thought to the back of his mind. If he told Harry what he had saw, he would be forced inside and Harry would be out investigating. He didn't particularly want to go inside, especially since his godfather had brought out a snitch. The house was well warded and protected. Nobody could see them or get into the boundaries that had been set. Throwing caution to the wind, he smiled at his godfather as his hand let go of the snitch.

Teddy laid in bed that night, his cheek resting on Moony. A night light lit up the room nicely so he could see around his new room. He stared at the picture of his parents. His father whispered something into his mother's ear and she roared with laughter. It looked like she was going to drop baby Teddy, but his father had scooped a hand under the baby's bottom to steady the boy in her arms. His eyes wandered over to the Auror badge that was resting against his lamp. Next to that, he had laid his father's Prefect badge. He decided he wanted to be Prefect one day like his dad. He also decided he wanted to be an Auror like his mum and Harry.

His mind wandered to the figure he saw behind Potter House. His bottom lip was sucked into his mouth and rested between his teeth. He was regretting his decision not to show Harry the figure. He had not wanted to go inside from flying. He wanted to continue to have fun, to forget that he was locked up in yet another house.

There was a soft knock on the door. Teddy turned towards the door to see Harry standing in the frame with blanket draped over his arm. He had his plaid Gryffindor pajama bottoms on but no shirt. He walked slowly into the room, their eyes locking.

"Did I wake you?"

"No," replied Teddy.

"It's supposed to get colder tonight," Harry spoke softly. "Ginny wanted you to have another blanket."

Harry unfolded the blanket – a fluffy red one with the Gryffindor lion embossed in the middle. He swung it in the air and placed it on top of the bed. He straightened out the bottom, smoothing out the bent corner.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you still miss your parents?"

Harry stilled. He sat down on the edge of the bed. The nightlight illuminated his face for Teddy to see. It looked thoughtful for a few moments as he thought.

"When I was younger, before Hogwarts, I missed them every single day. I think I told you before my aunt and uncle weren't exactly the nicest of people. I craved for parents because I didn't know what it was to be loved or wanted before," Harry started and then cleared his throat. "I suppose, after I got to Hogwarts and got friends, I still missed them but it wasn't an everyday miss. Then, I met Remus and Sirius… I guess… I missed my parents even less. I now had two people who told me stories and gave me a connection to them. If I'm being completely, one hundred percent honest with you, which I've never admitted this to anyone before…"

Harry faltered and looked down at his hands. Teddy sat up in bed, pulling Moony onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around the stuffed animal, feeling the new collar cool on his arm.

"When Sirius died, I felt like I forgot about my parents for awhile. I missed Sirius more than I had ever missed my parents. I had this godfather who was _real_ and who was looking out for me and loved me and would do anything for me and he was just… gone. It was a worse feeling of longing for him than I had for my parents. Even to this day, I think about my parents and wish I could have known them. But I _miss_ Sirius and Remus even more because I knew them. Does that make sense?"

Teddy deposited Moony on his pillow. Crawling out from under his covers, he clamored over to where Harry was. His godfather scooped him up in his arms and held him in an embrace.

"It makes sense," Teddy spoke quietly. "I miss grandmum a lot. Like a lot a lot. I like living with you and Ginny but I miss living with grandmum too. I miss hanging out with her all week while you worked. I miss being excited when you'd pick me up every Friday for a weekend of fun. I miss her baking all the time. I miss that awful music she'd play. With my mum and dad… I guess I miss them but not in the same way. I want to know them and I want to talk to them and I want them here with me but I don't remember them at all and I wish I did."

"I wish they were here too," Harry murmured into his hair.

"Did Sirius die the same day my parents died? Did Sirius like me?"

Teddy felt Harry shift underneath him.

"Sirius died a good two years before your parents died. He never met you."

"Do you think he'd have liked me?"

Teddy pulled away slightly so he could look at his godfather's face. He looked sad.

"I think Sirius would have loved you," Harry paused with a forced smile gracing his features. "I think that if Sirius was here now, he'd be living with us as our pet dog."

"What if my parents and Sirius were both alive?"

"Well, then I think Sirius would have lived with you and your parents during the week and would be living with Ginny and me on the weekends."

"That would have been fun. I think, if my parents and Sirius were still alive, I'd come over with Sirius on the weekends."

"I have no doubt that Sirius would have gladly let you tag along with him," Harry said with a sad sigh. "I think it's time for bed. I got to get up early in the morning and finish a report at work."

Harry gave him a brisk kiss on his forehead before tapping his leg. Teddy crawled off his godfather's lap and made his way back under the covers. Harry stood up and adjusted the covers around his small frame.

"You work a lot," Teddy's voice was barely above a whisper.

"I know."

"When Cronus is gone… can we take a nice long holiday somewhere? Not just the weekend but like a whole week or two?"

"Where would you like to go?"

"Um…" Teddy thought. "I don't know. Somewhere."

"Sure," Harry replied as he stood up to his full height. "I promise, when this whole Cronus mess is over with, we'll take a vacation somewhere. Just the three of us."

Teddy fell asleep dreaming of a cloaked figure walking along between the trees.

**I know this is a short chapter and I know it's a filler chapter. Trust me, you'll need this filler chapter with the roller coaster of a ride of the next three chapters. Next chapter, we'll be hitting the climax of the story. Chapters 15 and 16 are done. I'm currently still writing chapter 17 which is giving me some issues but they'll work themselves out. Just brace yourself. Don't forget to review!**


	16. The Tomb

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Fifteen: The Tomb"**

Harry stood with his back against the countertop. He held a thermos in his hand as he waited for Ginny to finish with the breakfast muffins. He watched Teddy curiously who ate his cereal at the kitchen table and stared out in the backyard as though he were looking for something. The boy had been unusually quiet that morning as though something were bothering him. Upon inquiring, his godson clammed up and said he was fine.

Ginny handed him a muffin as she rose on her tip toes to give him a swift kiss on the cheek. He turned his attention to her, a frown etched into his features. He motioned to Teddy with his head only to see her shrug her shoulders in return.

Crossing the room, Harry placed his muffin and thermos on the table. He glanced out the back window and saw nothing out of the ordinary. He brushed a hand through Teddy's hair which caused the boy to look up.

"Are you leaving for work then?"

"Yeah, I got to go. You're sure you're alright? You seem quiet this morning," Harry said as he sat down in the chair next to his godson.

"I'm fine…" the boy trailed off as he stirred his cereal in milk. "Do you think you could get off work early tonight so we can go flying again?"

"I'll try to," replied Harry as he picked a piece off his muffin and popped it into his mouth. "I'm sure Ginny will take you out this afternoon."

"I know she will," Teddy said thoughtfully. "You let me go really high though."

Harry laughed as he glanced back to look at Ginny who was rolling her eyes. She had a tea towel in her hand as she walked over to the small table. She playfully hit Teddy over the head with the towel as she took a seat on the other side of him.

"I have no problem with you flying high," she said. "I just want to make sure you're comfortable and won't fall off."

"I'm good. I didn't fall off yesterday," he reminded her.

"Okay. Okay. Okay. You can go up as high as you want! I'm having my wand out to cast a Cushioning Charm though just in case."

"I'll see you tonight," Harry said as gave the boy a faint squeeze on the shoulder.

He kissed Ginny swiftly on the cheek before he walked out of the house, down to the corner, and Apparated to the London.

Upon entering the Ministry, he made his way to the Auror offices. He passed the cubicles, some colleagues engrossed in reports on their desks and others nodded their good mornings to him as he passed. He paused at his own cubicle and crouched down to access the small filing cabinet under his desk. Rifling through the contents, he pulled out several folders and tucked them neatly under his arm.

Straightening up, he stopped at a framed picture on his desk. It was a picture of Harry, Ginny, and Teddy from the boy's fifth birthday. They had held the celebration outside at Andromeda Tonks' home. All the Weasleys had been in attendance. Teddy was sitting in a chair at the head of the table, a party hat laid crooked on top of his blue head. A wide smile was spread across his face, a large homemade cake that his grandmother made was in front of him. Harry and Ginny had been on either side of him. Harry's arm was draped across the boy's shoulders, his body crouched down so they were the same height. Ginny was crouched on the other side of him, a radiant laugh reaching every single feature on her face. Her hands rested on the arm rest of the chair. The three laughed in the picture, joking, not a care in the world.

Harry swallowed a lump that had gathered unknowingly in his throat. With his free hand, he grabbed the picture and continued his way to the back of the Auror Department where Odin Vidar's office resided.

He kicked the door open softly with his foot, the lights bursting to life as soon as he entered. He tossed the files down gently onto the desk before walking around to take a seat in the leather chair. Gently, he set up the picture of his family.

Vidar was in stable condition at St. Mungo's. His prognosis was looking exceedingly better than it had a few days previous. While the man recovered, Harry had the responsibility to take over the Auror office until he was back on his feet. It was a task that Harry hadn't particularly wanted nor needed at this time. He had his hands full with a pregnant wife, a godson, heading the Order of the Phoenix, his job… it was all too much pressure and stress weighing him down.

He couldn't even remember the last time he got a good night's rest. He had a herd of Death Eaters on the loose, a psychotic Death Eater's son thinking he was the new Voldemort, spies within the Ministry but hopefully not within the Order. Terrible thoughts plagued his mind daily, constant fatigue wracking his body.

"Oi, I have my report on the Gringotts attack," Ron Weasley's voice rang in the doorway an hour after Harry had arrived at the office.

"It's only a few days late," Harry said with a smirk as he beckoned his best friend into the room.

"You know me, constantly putting off paperwork and putting as little effort into it as possible," Ron replied with a smile as he tossed the folder onto Harry's desk and sat down across from him. "How're you feeling?"

"I feel like I want to crawl into a hole and sleep all winter."

Ron chuckled as he leaned the chair back onto its back legs, his longs legs crossing one over the other as his shoes rested on top of the desk. Harry glanced up at his friend over his glasses at the motion but said nothing.

"How's the arm?"

Raising his arm in the air for Harry to see, Ron shook it a bit before plopping it back down into his lap.

"It's fine. Hermione reckons the Healers healed it alright."

"Glad she approves."

Harry leaned back into the chair, a sigh escaping his lips. Ron was looking at him curiously as though he were waiting for his best mate to collapse onto the floor. Harry scowled. He didn't need anyone hovering over him.

"How's Teddy and Ginny?"

"What's up, Ron?"

"What? Can't I see how my best friend, my sister, and my nephew are doing?"

Harry's heart constricted at the word nephew. Ron had never called Teddy his nephew, never called him anything except for Teddy to be honest. He had always just been Teddy, been Harry's godson, been Remus' son. Ron had never called the boy more than that. Sure, Ron always attended Teddy's birthdays, played and chatted with him at events, babysat the boy when needed, but never made such a familiar connection to him before. It made Harry happy and he knew that Teddy would have swelled with excitement at being called nephew. He craved the normalcy of a family and basked in the comfort when anyone made a mention that he was just that.

"They're fine," Harry replied, staring at Ron who was gazing up at the ceiling. "You just seemed to be lingering is all."

"Lingering?" Ron questioned as his gaze turned to his best friend and the front legs of the chair _thumped_ onto the ground. "Can't a guy just hang out in his best mate's temporary office and engage in some lighthearted conversation?"

Harry smirked, his eyes rolling playfully. Ron grinned back, his freckles smushing together.

"Hermione and I are just worried about you," he said finally, the grin slowly falling from his pallid face. "You look dead tired lately as though you're not sleeping. You nearly _died_ at Gringotts. Merlin, Harry, when you collapsed after battling Cronus, we thought the bloody worst. You were so pale and there was so much blood on you. I don't know how you even managed to finish that duel."

"I'm _fine_," stressed Harry.

"Oh, you're fine. We'll just stop worrying because you say you're _fine_," Ron snapped back. "I'll tell Hermione that you're _fine_. Just another Tuesday night, battling evil git wizards and nearly bleeding to death. All good and dandy."

Harry sighed with a frown working its way into his brows. He lolled his head backwards, a groan rumbling in his throat. This was the last thing he wanted to do.

"What do you want me to say, Ron?"

"I've only bloody known you since we've been eleven years old. I know when you're not _fine_ and you're definitely not _fine_ right now. Stop being a ginormous prat and talk to me."

Harry looked at his friend who was glaring at him with a mixture of concern and frustration. What could he really say? He wasn't sleeping. He was stressed beyond belief – more stressed now than he had even been with Voldemort. He now had a kid on the way and a godson who relied on him to keep them safe. That simple fact had made the weight on his shoulders an unbearable pressure. It was a pressure that he had never felt before. It was a pressure that made his heart ache and bile rise in his throat. He had two tiny little humans expecting him to keep them safe. It was a foreign, yet welcome, feeling.

With a flick of the wand, the door to the office slammed shut. With another wave, Harry placed a Silencing Charm around the room so the two best friends could not be overheard. He sighed, a long weighing sigh as he tossed his wand onto his desk.

"I have a fiancé at home. I have a godson at home. Now, I had an unborn baby at home. I have three people I have to protect – three people who rely on me for everything. Cronus knows he can get to me through them. He's attacked Ginny and Teddy before. He's attacked Ginny and me multiple times. I don't know what to do. We know he has spies in the bloody Ministry but I haven't the faintest idea who they are. We know he's been planning this for awhile. I just… I'm at a loss, Ron. I feel like I'm Harry _bleeding_ Potter, Chosen One, War Hero, Defender of the Wizarding World and I'm failing. I'm failing the Wizarding World, I'm failing Ginny, I'm failing Teddy, I'm failing you, I'm failing everyone."

"You're not _failing_ anyone," Ron snapped angrily. "It's not your job to defeat every evil wizard that comes along. You're putting too much pressure on yourself assuming it's your job or your duty."

"It's expected of me though. I'm twenty-three years old and I'm sitting in the Head Auror's office right now being interim Head. I haven't got the faintest idea what I'm doing here. I feel like I never know what I'm doing. We stumbled through the Horcruxes. I don't even know how we managed to get them all. It felt like it was all pure, dumb luck that we're even sitting here together."

"You just _stopped_ Cronus from taking over Gringotts, Mate. That was all you. You're the one who battled Cronus. You're the one who disarmed him. You're the one who broke his bloody shoulder. Bloody hell, Harry, maybe his shoulder will never heal properly and his magic will suffer. You did that."

"I just… want this over with," Harry sighed. "I want things to go back to the way they were before Cronus killed Andromeda."

"Sucks, but it's never going to be the same again, Harry. To be honest, I don't think you'd want things to go back to the way they were before. You have Teddy living with you which I've known you've always wanted but never wanted to ask Andromeda for it."

"I never wanted Andromeda dead," Harry replied coolly.

"I'm not saying you did. I'm just saying that I remember you telling Hermione and me you wished Teddy could live with you though. But, after her husband and daughter dying, you were too damn noble to ask for more custody."

"I didn't want to rock the boat," Harry said carefully. "Andromeda and I had a good relationship. Remus and Tonks never wrote a will so guardianship of Teddy was up for interpretation. She was his grandmother and I was just his godfather. Andromeda let me have him every single weekend. She let me take him anytime I asked for him to take him on holiday or for a random night during the week. There was an open invitation from her to show up for dinner whenever I pleased. I didn't want our relationship to become contentious and have Teddy suffer because of it."

"I get why you never asked, Mate. I'm just saying, I know you're glad Teddy is with you now."

Harry sighed as his squeezed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He could feel a headache coming on from lack of sleep and stress.

"You make me sound like a monster for being happy Teddy is with me while Andromeda's buried six feet under."

"I'm _not_ saying that. Andromeda just assumed custody though. I mean, there wasn't even a conversation with you. She just assumed she was his primary guardian."

"He was with her when they died."

"While you were securing that his future wasn't a boundlessly dark mess of snatchers, taboos, and fear."

There was a knock at the door and Harry had never been so relieved. He did not want to carry on this conversation with Ron. Lifting the Silencing Charm off the room, he called for the person to enter the office.

"Auror Potter," a breathless voice wheezed in the doorway of the head Auror's office. "The Minister needs to see you. He said it's urgent and can't wait."

Harry gave Ron a glance before he nodded his head to the wizard. He did not know the man's name and didn't ask it. He stood up from his desk, tucking his wand safely into his pocket. He followed the young wizard through the Ministry, neither one talking. Harry figured he had no idea what the summons was about. He only hoped that it wasn't to announce the death of Draco Malfoy.

He entered Kingsley's office, his hands stuffing themselves into their pockets while the wizard who led him there shut the door with a soft_ snap_. Kingsley had a deep frown etched into his features, his fingers nervously drumming on his desk and his lips drawn into a straight line.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, his mind jumping from worst case scenario to worse case scenario. He suddenly felt the weight of the mirror shard in his pocket and wondered briefly if he should try to contact Teddy to ensure him and Ginny were alright.

"There's been a… _disturbing_… disturbance," Kingsley spoke softly and seemed like he was having trouble finding his words.

Harry took a few steps closer to the desk, his mouth going dry. His brows knitted downwards as he silently wished Kingsley would just spit out what had happened already. He needed to know that Ginny and Teddy were safe… that all the Weasleys were safe… that Malfoy hadn't been outed as the spy.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"There's been a grave robbery."

Whatever Harry thought Kingsley was going to say, grave robbery surely wasn't anywhere on the list. His shoulders relaxed, a heavy weight escaping from them.

"Look, Kingsley, I have enough on my plate right now. I can't look into a grave robbery too. Ask Ron or somebody."

"You aren't curious what grave was robbed?"

Harry blinked. His blood seemed to run cold. His eyes narrowed as his hands worked their way out of his pockets. His fingers curled on the back of the chair directly across from Kingsley's desk. Something told him that he would need the support.

"Who?" Harry asked in just above a whisper.

"Remus, Harry. It was Remus' grave."

Harry felt like someone had stabbed him. His breath hitched in his throat nearly suffocating him. He had just been at the gravesite last May with Teddy and Andromeda. It was a yearly tradition. On the anniversary of their death, when everyone else was out celebrating Voldemort's demise, the three of them would take a picnic to Remus and Tonks' graves. They would tell stories about the two, Teddy would talk to their headstones and normally end up crying and being carried home by Harry. There were always flowers, wreaths, trinkets. Andromeda always made sure the graves were kept up and nice looking. Harry was suddenly aware that the graves were probably overgrown with weeds and the flowers were probably dead. Shame rose in his heart as he should have been taking care of the graves but had failed to do so.

"Was he… I mean, was…"

"The body was still in the casket," Kingsley replied as though he were forcing the words out of his mouth.

Harry didn't know whether or not to be relieved. He wasn't quite sure what to ask. He couldn't imagine why Cronus would dig up Remus' casket. It baffled him.

"Was he… disturbed?"

"I'm not sure," Kingsley replied, the palms of his hands dug into his eye sockets. "Someone from the Magical Law Enforcement was notified. She said the body was very heavily decomposed… it was hard to tell if anything besides the actual casket was disturbed."

"Do you think it's a sick joke?" Harry whispered. "Do you think they're just trying to… to get to me?"

"I don't know, Harry. I would just… be careful. I don't know whether they were trying to make Remus an Inferi or… I don't know. Whatever it was… I'm not sure they succeeded."

"I, uh… where's Remus'… body now?"

"I have some law enforcement guarding the body while others are obtaining a new casket. I'm not sure if we… rebury him or put him somewhere for safe keeping for awhile."

Harry felt bile rising in his throat. He was sure he was going to start puking all over Kingsley's office. His head bowed down, his knuckles turning white as they gripped the chair tighter.

"I need to go home. I need to talk to Ginny and I need to check on Teddy."

"Go… go home. Take the rest of the day off and take tomorrow off too if you need it. I'll contact you if we learn anything else."

Wordlessly, Harry walked out of Kingsley's office. He passed the Minister's secretary who waved pleasantly at him. Before he could reach the door to leave, Harry stopped at the trash bin. His hands gripped either side and he retched up his breakfast. Without turning to look at the secretary, he disappeared from the office and hurried to an Apparition point.

Harry found himself down the street from his new home. He walked briskly, as fast as his legs could carry him. He whipped out his wand as soon as he was within the wards and prodded the doorknob with his wand. The door flung open.

"Ginny!" Harry yelled, slamming the front door behind him.

He could hear rustling from the kitchen. He started towards that way when Ginny met him halfway. She was wiping her hands on her apron, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, a quizzical look on her face.

"Harry, what are you doing home? Are you okay?"

"Where's Teddy?"

"He's upstairs playing. I was making lunch and told him I'd call him down when it was ready," Ginny responded as her eyes narrowed, concern radiating off her. "What's wrong? You look like you're going to be sick."

"Someone grave robbed Remus' grave," Harry whispered dangerously low, his eyes darting towards the stairs to make Teddy was not listening.

"_What_?"

Harry just shrugged his shoulders, a wild look crossing his features. He made his way to the staircase. He had to be sure Teddy wasn't lurking around. He couldn't bear to tell his godson what had happened. With him slamming the door, he expected Teddy to be crouched at the top of the stairs listening. Except, the stairwell was empty. Harry's hand clenched the railing. Teddy was _always_ eavesdropping. They had to place Silencing Charms around the kitchen at Grimmauld Place. Always had to check that he wasn't out of bed or lingering at the top of stairs listening. He craved information. He would know his godfather was home.

"Teddy?" Harry called, his voice shaking. "Teddy?"

Ginny, noticing Harry's panic, pushed past him on the stairs. She ran the rest of the way up and went directly to his room. A sob escaped her lips and Harry watched as Ginny fell to her knees in the doorway of the boy's room.

"TEDDY!" Ginny screamed. "TEDDY!"

Harry felt as though he was being pulled on puppet strings the rest of the way up the stairs. He could not breath, could not speak, could not even blink. He bypassed Ginny to walk into Teddy's room. On the floor was his Moony plush – the one toy he never went anywhere without. On his nightstand, next to the smiling picture of Remus, Tonks, and baby Teddy, was the Enemy Eyeglass. By the bay window was Teddy's toy castle with his knight and dragon figures.

"He- he was – he was here. _Harry_," Ginny sobbed. "He knew… he knew not to leave. Wh-why did he leave?"

Harry did not respond. He crouched down, his fingers dancing over Moony. It looked as though the wolf had been dropped to the floor carelessly as it was lying on its side. Teddy always took care to sit the stuffed animal upright whenever he wasn't carrying him. He gripped the stuffed toy in his hand as he blinked the tears out of his eyes.

"You're sure he's not anywhere else in the house?" Harry choked out, his voice surprisingly level.

"He… he would have co-come running when w-we called."

Harry stood up, Moony still clenched in his fist. He turned around to face Ginny. She was sobbing on the floor, her head in her hands. Wordlessly, he drew his wand out of his pocket and raised it into the air. Closing his eyes, his tongue licking his lips, he let out a Patronus to tell the Order the terrible news. He knew Kingsley would gather a team together at the Ministry, knew that Ron and Hermione would get the Order together. The stag galloped around the room almost sadly, as though it too was searching for the young boy, before disappearing through the ceiling.

Harry's arm dropped to his side, his wand escaping from his fingertips and plummeted to the floor. He closed the space between him and Ginny. He fell to the ground in front of her, his whole body numb. He laid Moony in-between them, his hands reaching out for Ginny. He pulled her close to his chest, his arms around her shoulders like a vise. He let out a terrible sob and then broke down completely.

**I wasn't going to post this until the weekend, but I was too excited to post this chapter. Plus, I finished writing chapter 17 and started 18 (which may end up being the last chapter. I may combine the last two chapters I had planned). Please, leave a review! We are drawing to the end.**


	17. Remus Lupin

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Sixteen: Remus Lupin"**

Teddy Lupin was in his room. He was sitting crossed legged in front of his toy castle. He gripped a dragon between his fingers and tossed it into the air. The plastic dragon roared to life as it started to flap its wings. His hand gripped around a knight and marched the toy towards the castle.

"I must save the princess!" Teddy attempted to talk in a deep voice. "You dragons can't hurt me!"

The toy dragon circled the castle before swooping down and attacking Moony who had been sitting next to Teddy on the floor. Anger instantly rose up inside Teddy. _Nobody. Touched. Moony._

"Oi! You _stupid_ dragon. Leave him alone!"

The knight was long forgotten on the floor. He swatted the dragon away from Moony, harder than he intended to. The dragon wobbled after the hit before diving back at the plush toy. Teddy reached out a hand and grabbed the dragon in his fist and slammed it down on the floor. He scooped Moony up in his arms and walked away from the castle.

He sat down on the windowsill, kicking a few other stuffed wolves to the side. He glanced down at his plush to make sure the toy dragon didn't rip the stitches. He would want Ginny to fix it right away if it had. Seeing no lasting damage, Teddy rested his head against the glass and looked outside.

He saw a mailman walking down the sidewalk, seemingly humming to himself and put some envelopes in their mailbox. He continued on his journey, not even looking at the house. Teddy sighed as he then spotted a man standing by a tree across the street. He was hidden in the shadows. Teddy narrowed his eyes and sat up a little straighter. The man took a step forward and Teddy gasped.

He was tall and lanky, his hands tucked neatly away in shabby robes. Scars marred his face, a pleasant smile gracing his features. His brown eyes looked around patiently. His sandy hair blew in the wind. Teddy felt a lump in his throat, his eyes snapping towards the picture of his parents on his nightstand. They flew back to the man outside. He was… it _couldn't_ be.

Teddy pushed Moony out of his lap, his heart beating in his chest. Before he knew what he was doing, he crept out of his room and down the stairs. He could hear the radio in the kitchen, could hear Ginny singing along to the words. Teddy thought momentarily he should tell Ginny who he saw outside. He thought better of it though. He didn't want to waste time and risk him disappearing. He quickly shoved his feet into his trainers that were on the shoe rack in the front closet.

Teddy opened the front door and stepped outside. He shivered in the brisk fall air, suddenly thinking he should have grabbed a jacket. He carefully shut the door behind him as to not make any noise. He was very well aware of walking at that moment. One foot in front of the other. He felt every movement, felt every step. As soon as Teddy stepped on the sidewalk, the man's eyes locked onto him. Teddy wondered vaguely if that's where the wards ended on the house because the man didn't seem to notice him until that point. He motioned for Teddy to come closer, the smile never leaving his face.

Teddy looked both ways before crossing the street, his heart pounding so fast against his ribcage that he was sure it was going to burst out of him. He stopped short of the man. He stayed on the sidewalk while the man stood causally in the grass, his body leaning against the tree.

"_Dad_?" Teddy heard himself say.

"Teddy," the man replied, the smile never leaving his face. "Look how you've grown."

Teddy frowned slightly. His voice sounded different than it did in the Pensieve memories that Ginny and Harry had shown him. He filed that bit of information to the back of his mind. It was his _dad_. It had to be his dad. He looked just like the pictures, looked just like the tired man in the Pensieve. _He's dead_, a tiny voice reminded him in the back of his mind. He told it to shut up.

"How… how are you here?"

The man continued to smile.

"I got hurt very badly… everyone thought I was dead. I spent a long time in a hospital, and I finally woke up. I wanted to come and see you, to make sure you were safe."

Teddy frowned. He had been to his father's grave. Harry, Ginny, nor his grandmother ever said anything about a hospital. They told him he was dead. He was buried. Yet… here he was. Maybe they were just mistaken… maybe he wasn't supposed to make a recovery so Harry had spared him the heartache.

"You're not safe here, Teddy. Come with me. I'll take you somewhere safe."

A hand reached out for the small boy to take. Teddy almost took it but drew back at the last second. What about Harry and Ginny? Surely, they should grab them before they leave. They were in just as much, if not more, danger than Teddy.

"What about Harry and Ginny?" he whispered as he shot a glance behind him at the house.

"We'll grab them in a bit. Let me get you to safety. I worked out a safe house for all of us before I came. Let me take you there and then I'll come grab Harry and Ginny."

The hand was still dangling in midair. The smile never left his father's face during the whole encounter. If Teddy would have listened to the little voice in the back of his head, he would have been unnerved by the man's expression. Except, Teddy wasn't thinking logically, he wasn't even thinking at all if he was being completely honest with himself. Very slowly, his hand reached out for his father. Their fingers brushed and Teddy thought he might cry. The bigger hand clasped around his small one. Before another moment could past, Teddy felt himself Apparating with his father.

They landed in a small house. It was dark and bare. They stood in what Teddy assumed was a bedroom. There was a metal framed bed with dirty sheets. The nightstand next to it was missing a drawer. The lamp on the nightstand had no lampshade. The rest of the room was bare. The wood floors beneath his trainers looked stained and gross.

"Where are we?" Teddy asked quietly as his father took his hand away from his grasp.

"The safe house," was the reply.

Teddy turned around, a sudden sick feeling filling the pit of his stomach. He looked up at his father, still smiling that odd smile. Teddy felt his mouth twitch, anxiety and fear were starting to set in. This place didn't look very safe. He suddenly wished he was back at Potter House. That was the name Harry and Ginny had given the house when they moved in.

"Can we go get Harry and Ginny now? I want to see them."

"Not yet," his father replied pleasantly. "Tell me about them. How are they? Taking good care of you then?"

"They're great," Teddy spoke evenly, trying to calm himself. He was with his father… his dad wouldn't hurt him.

"How's the Order?"

The boy's brows furrowed. Why would his dad be asking about the Order of the Phoenix? Teddy took a step back, his eyes not leaving his father's face.

"Good."

"Where is headquarters? I want to start attending meetings again now that I'm better."

"I… I can't say."

"Why not?" his father inquired, his head cocking to the side with that same smile spread across his face.

Teddy licked his bottom lip and took another step back. The smile was starting to creep him out. He wondered if it had left his face at all during their encounter. This was not the Remus Lupin he remembered from his Pensieve trips. His dad had a nice, warm smile. He joked, had infliction in his voice. This version of his dad was more monotone, holding that creepy smile and almost moving mechanically. Teddy wondered why he hadn't noticed it before he took the man's hand.

"I-I'm not the Secret Keeper," Teddy supplied, taking another step away from his father.

"Oh, right. I suppose Harry is then?" the man asked pleasantly. "Why are you walking away from me?"

"I… I wanna go home now. I want Harry."

"We'll get him soon enough," the man replied as he took a step towards the boy. "Who is in the Order? I'm assuming the Weasleys still are. How about Kingsley Shacklebolt?"

"I don't know," Teddy said quickly as his chest heaved. "I don't attend meetings."

"No, I suppose not," his father smiled even wider. "You must see people coming in and out though."

Teddy wanted to cry, he wanted to scream for Harry but knew his godfather would not hear him. He wished he had his Enemy Eyeglass, wished he had brought the mirror, wished he had told Ginny about the man across the street who looked just like his father. Teddy took another step back, his vision clouding with tears.

"Please, I wanna go home. I want Harry," he repeated his demand but the man just continued to smile.

"I'm afraid we can't do that."

"Please, _please_," Teddy begged.

His arms wrapped themselves around his stomach as a sob croaked out from his throat. He wanted a hug from Harry or a kiss from Ginny. He wanted Moony. He wanted George to tell him a joke. He wanted Bill to talk to him like he was older than he was. He wanted Victoire to color with him. He wanted Mrs. Weasley to make him dinner. He wanted Hermione to bake him cookies. He wanted Ron to ask him for his help to degnome the yard. He wanted Luna to give him a birthday bag. He wanted anything… anything but this.

Teddy blinked away the tears, his nose sniffing loudly. His father's face looked like it was melting. His features started to sag and bumps were rolling through the skin. Wide eyed, Teddy took five more steps back until his back was flush against the wall behind him. The sandy hair turned black, the brown eyes turned gray, his height shrunk and his body filled out some. Soon, a man Teddy did not recognize him stood in front of him.

The smile had finally left the man's face and was replaced with a sneer. He moved his head from side to side, a sickening crack filling the room. Teddy could no longer stand. His legs gave out and he was on his knees.

"Please, I just wanna go home," Teddy attempted his plead again.

"I'm sorry, Teddy, but that won't be possible."

"You weren't my dad," his voice cracked. "How did you look like him?"

Tears were flowing like a river down Teddy's cheeks. He couldn't stop them. He was an idiot. A fool. He was so stupid. His dad was dead. Why did he ever believe it had been his father? He could already envision his godfather's face looming in front of him looking disappointed and sad. He wasn't clever like his parents, wasn't clever like his godfather. How could he be so _stupid_?

"A potion," was the only response. "You really should know that the dead can't come back. Your dad and mom are deader than dead."

"Please, I just want Harry," he said feebly as his nails dug into his jeans.

"I'll let you say goodbye before I kill him," the man said.

Teddy's head snapped up, another loud cracking sob escaping his lips. The man was walking towards him. He knelt down in front of him, his gray eyes blazing into him. He was Cronus. He had let Cronus take him. Teddy wanted to scream but couldn't find his voice. Instead, he only imaged Harry dead in front of him.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Teddy. You're just a boy. I have no beef with children. I just want your godfather."

"_Why_? He hasn't done anything to you!" Teddy screamed desperately, finding his voice again.

"Your godfather is the reason my mum is dead. Your godfather is the reason my dad suffered in Azkaban for the past five years." Cronus sat down in front of Teddy. "You know, we're cousins."

Teddy let out a humorless laugh. He angrily wiped the back of his hand across his eyes to clear the tears. _You are so stupid_, Teddy screamed in his head.

"I'll take care of you. We're family."

"We're not family," Teddy said in a voice braver than he felt.

"My mum and your grandmum were sisters. Your mum and I were cousins. So, I guess that makes us second cousins."

Teddy swallowed a lump in his throat. He didn't know if Cronus was lying or telling the truth. He was inclined to believe it was a lie. Wouldn't Harry have told him that piece of information? _When? When you were locked away upstairs at Grimmauld Place?_ Teddy shook his head, fresh tears prickling his eyes. He decided it didn't matter if what Cronus said was true, didn't matter if Harry didn't tell him. All he knew is he did not want to live with the man before him, did not want Cronus to care for him. He wanted nothing to do with Cronus after killing his grandmum, attacking him and Ginny, hurting his family, for saying he was going to kill Harry.

"You killed my grandmum," Teddy whispered.

"It wasn't supposed to happen that way. They were supposed to get you, bring you to me. When you weren't there, my followers killed her. They didn't know she was family. I apologize, Teddy, I never wanted her to die."

"Are you going to let me go home or not?" Teddy asked one more time.

"No, Teddy, I can't."

With that, Cronus stood up and walked out of the door. Teddy heard mumbling from outside and he had no doubt that he was locked in. Burying his head into his hands, Teddy cried. He had never wanted Harry more in his life than he did at that moment. He wondered if Ginny and Harry knew he was gone. Did they know who took him? Did they know where he was? Were they going to save him?

In the midst of crying, Teddy had collapsed onto his side and fell asleep. He woke up with his neck aching and his stomach growling. Standing up, he made his way to the door. He tried to open it, but it didn't even budge. Frowning, he looked around the room and saw a window. Walking over to it, he tried to open it but the latch wouldn't move no matter how hard he pushed at it. He walked over to the end table and grabbed the lamp. Taking a deep breath, Teddy threw the lamp at the glass. The lamp shattered but the glass remained untouched.

A sob escaped Teddy's lips. He sank down in the middle of the floor and cuddled his knees close to his chest. He wished he hadn't broken the lamp. It was going to get dark soon and he was worried he wouldn't be able to see anything. What if he stepped on the broken shards from the lamp and hurt himself? Would anybody help him? Would anybody even care? Teddy rested his forehead on his knees and cried silently. He just wanted to go home.

Teddy had no idea how long he had been in the room. He was exhausted, his head hurt, his stomach hurt, his bladder hurt. He wanted out of the room. He stood up and walked shakily to the door. With every bit of energy, he started pounding on the wood. He screamed. He knew he was screaming because he could hear himself screaming but he had no idea _what_ he was actually screaming. He just needed out of the room. The walls felt like they were closing in around him and it was progressively getting darker outside.

There was a rustling outside and the door opened. Teddy, mildly shocked, blinked several times at Cronus. He reached out a hand and gripped Teddy tightly by the shoulder. He steered the boy to the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Teddy stood in the bathroom, pale and shaking. He did his business and the door opened upon the flush ringing throughout the house. The awful grip was on his shoulder again and he was led down a staircase and into a battered kitchen. He was pushed down into a chair and Cronus opened the fridge.

"Don't try anything," Cronus said in a calm tone. "I'll know if you get up out of that seat."

Teddy swallowed and wrung his hands in his lap. A few more silent tears slid down his face. A sandwich was placed in front of Teddy. A few moments later, a glass of water appeared. Teddy ate the food to calm his stomach but he didn't taste it as it slithered down his throat. He felt like he was on autopilot. Bite. Chew. Swallow. Bite. Chew. Swallow.

When he was done, Cronus led him back to the room with the bed. He told Teddy to sit on the bed. With a wave of a wand, the broken lamp disappeared. With that, he was left in darkness. Teddy laid down on the bed on his side. He drew his knees up to his chest and stared into the darkness. He closed his eyes and pictured Harry. He was laughing, his hair sticking up in every direction possible, his glasses smudged. He skewered his eyes shut even more and he swore he could hear his godfather's voice calling his name.

The next morning was more of the same routine. Cronus let him use the bathroom, gave him breakfast, and locked him back in his room. Teddy sat on the ratty bed and chewed the inside of his cheek. He was scared to run but he was also scared to be in the house. He found himself, more often than not, crying and asking for Harry to help him in his head.

It was the afternoon when Cronus came back. After the trip to the bathroom, they did not go to the kitchen. Instead, Teddy was led to a new room he had never been in before. There was an array of men and women situated around a table. Teddy scanned the crowd looking for a familiar face. He spotted one on the right. Draco Malfoy was sitting there, looking pale with wide eyes staring at Teddy. He made a motion as though to say something but the stare that Malfoy gave him made him stay quiet.

"We can expect Harry Potter to find us. We can expect him to bring the whole wrath of the Order and the Aurors. We will be ready for him. I'd prefer a capture of him if we can manage it. I'd love him to suffer like my father has suffered for the past few years."

Teddy saw the first man to the right. He nodded at Cronus and he vaguely wondered if that was his father he spoke of.

"Draco, come here."

Draco Malfoy rose steadily from his seat, his face looked like a statue as he closed the space between them. He did not look at Teddy.

"You know, Teddy, Draco was also cousins with your mother," Cronus pointed out.

"He's also the son of a werewolf," Malfoy said steadily, still refusing to meet the boy's gaze.

Teddy frowned. He thought – perhaps hoped – that Malfoy would get him out of the house and to Harry. The man's cold tone made that hope die in the pit of his stomach. Frustrated tears rolled down his eyelashes.

"Blood is blood, Draco," Cronus replied with a wave of his hand. "He's still young. We can shape his mind to think properly."

It was then that Malfoy decided to look at him. He was staring at Teddy to the point that it made him uncomfortable. He shifted and then, he saw something. A flash of Harry entered his vision – his face looking white and tired. He saw Malfoy too. They were standing in front of one another.

_"Cronus has him," _Malfoy's voice rang in his head.

_ "Is he alright?" _his godfather's voice rang in his head.

_"For now_."

Harry's face flashed again in his vision, dark circles under his eyes and tears rolling down his cheeks. Teddy forced himself to look away from Malfoy and the images stopped. He didn't understand. He shook his head in confusion, a sob dying in his throat.

"I'll take him back to his room so we can start the meeting," Malfoy offered.

"Upstairs, first door on the right."

Malfoy's pale fingers clamped down on Teddy's shoulder. He was led out of the large dining room and steered towards the stairs. He looked behind himself, seeing Cronus standing in the doorway. They disappeared up the stairs and into the ratty room.

Malfoy turned him around to look at him. He crouched down and pulled a broken shard of glass from his pocket and placed it into Teddy's pocket.

"We haven't much time," Malfoy hissed. "Potter wanted me to give you that mirror. He's coming tonight. Be prepared. Don't make a sound."

"What?" Teddy asked as his heart hammering in his chest.

"Say his name in the mirror and he will appear. Don't talk loudly, don't arise suspicion. Don't let Cronus see or hear you with the mirror. He will be here tonight."

With that, Malfoy was gone like a wisp of black smoke. He heard the door lock behind him. Teddy backed away from the door and sank down onto the floor. He heard talking downstairs, cheers and celebrations. He figured it was as good a time as any to pull out the shard of glass. He looked down into the mirror only to see his own reflection. Licking his lip, he whispered, "Harry? Harry Potter?"

It was not his godfather who appeared in the mirror but Ginny Weasley. A strangled sob escaped her lips as a smile spread across her lips.

"Teddy!" she whispered.

"Ginny, I wanna come home," he tried to keep his voice low as the tears poured out of his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Ginny. I saw my dad outside. I thought it was him, I really did. It wasn't him though. It was Cronus."

"It's okay, shh," Ginny said in a quiet voice.

She turned her head because all Teddy could see was red. The image in the mirror shifted and a new face came into view. He saw half of his godfather's face appear. Teddy squeezed the shard of glass so tightly that his hand started to bleed.

"Harry!" he said louder than he probably should have.

"Shh, Teddy, be quiet. It's alright. It's alright. Malfoy knows where you are then?" his godfather asked anxiously.

"He said you were going to come tonight."

"We are. I'm gathering a team together now. As soon as Malfoy can get away and tells us exactly where you are, we're coming for you."

"It's a house. I'm locked in a bedroom. The window doesn't budge and the glass won't break and the door won't open."

Teddy took a deep breath trying to calm himself. Harry was coming. That was all that mattered. Cronus hadn't technically hurt him… at least not yet. So, he just had to wait.

"Teddy, I have to go. I need to finish getting everyone together. Ginny will have the mirror on her. Only use it if you really need to. Cronus mustn't know you have the mirror or that we're coming."

The boy nodded his head, not trusting himself to speak. He feared if he spoke again it would not be in a whisper and Cronus would come storming into the room. If he could out the Order was coming… wouldn't he move Teddy to another house? Then, Harry would never find him. He slipped the mirror back into his pocket and wiped his bloody hand onto his jeans. The cut wasn't deep, luckily, and he pressed his palm hard against his leg.

Teddy laid in the ratty bed that night, waiting for any indication that his godfather and the Order had arrived. Nothing happened. In fact, Teddy watched the sun start to rise and nobody had come. He didn't have the energy to sit up, didn't have the energy to move. He just cried silently some more. _It was a trick,_ a voice in his head told him. _Just like that man was never your father. That was never Harry in the mirror._

The door opened. Cronus stood in the doorway and beckoned the boy over towards him. Teddy just looked away, his gaze resting outside at the rising sun. Nobody was coming for him. Nobody was going to rescue him. He was stuck with Cronus in this miserable room.

**Hope you enjoyed the new chapter. Don't forget to review! I'm currently still working on the last chapter but have started outlining a sequel if you are interested. Some of you have expressed concern that Harry isn't all the powerful and rather weak in the story. I think Harry is more powerful in a social sense rather than the magical sense with the connections he holds, the power he holds within the Order, and his ability to garner spies. If I made Harry too powerful in the magical sense, the story would have been over a long time ago. I hope that makes sense.**


	18. The Rescue

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Seventeen: The Rescue"**

Harry was pacing, wearing out the brand-new hardwood floors in his living room. It was already three in the morning and Malfoy had not turned up to tell them where Teddy was. He could not sleep, could not eat, could barely think of anything except that his tiny godson was locked up somewhere afraid and in grave danger. What did Cronus want exactly with the little boy? Was it all to lure him there, to capture and torture him to death?

Ginny had not been fairing much better. She was curled up in the large armchair by the fireplace. Her knees were drawn to her chest, her head resting on the back of the chair, her eyes vacant and wide. The Weasleys fussed over her, trying to convince her to relax and get some sleep because the stress wasn't good for the baby. She had not listened and did not move.

She blamed herself for Teddy's absence, blamed herself for ever letting the boy out of her sight. Harry didn't blame her though. Any time Harry tried to reassure her that it wasn't her fault and he didn't blame her, she burst into tears. Harry knew that Ginny would have died to protect Teddy.

Ron and Hermione were sleeping on one of the couches, her head resting on his shoulder. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had also stayed and both were fast asleep on another couch similar to Ron and Hermione. They had stayed for moral support he supposed. They refused to leave and jumped at the chance to do anything for Harry or Ginny.

"Where is he?" croaked Ginny.

It had been over a day and a half since they realized Teddy was missing. When Malfoy was called to a meeting, Harry had been anxiously awaiting news. What if he didn't know where Teddy was? What if Cronus had told no one about the boy? Maybe that's why Malfoy had not appeared at Potter House – he simply had no news.

"We'll find him and we'll bring him home," Harry said evenly, determination setting into his bones.

At some point in the night, he had collapsed down into an armchair. His mind was numb and every time he dared to close his eyes, he would see Teddy's scared face burning a hole into his eyelids. He ended up just staring at Ginny who looked just as haunted as he felt. He wondered if she saw his face lingering behind her eyes as well.

The hours ticked by at an excruciatingly slow pace. At around five in the morning, Ginny had dosed off to sleep, still curled up in the armchair. At around six, Mrs. Weasley woke up and wordlessly disappeared into the kitchen. He assumed she was making breakfast as he heard pots and pans clanking. He had no desire to eat. At around seven, Mr. Weasley woke up and disappeared into the kitchen. Ron and Hermione too woke up but didn't say anything. They looked cautiously between Harry and Ginny, worry clouding their eyes and frowns stretching across their faces. At eight, Ginny woke up and instantly sought out Harry's eyes before she started to silently cry again. Still, no news came.

By nine, Harry was pacing around the around the living room again. He couldn't stand not knowing what was going on. He had a team ready to go over twelve hours ago. They were on high alert, waiting for a Patronus to tell them when to gather at Potter House. He couldn't help but curse Malfoy. What if he had betrayed them?

_He'd be dead_.

Malfoy couldn't have betrayed them. He wouldn't break the Unbreakable Vow. He gave Teddy the mirror. More than anything, he wanted Teddy to contact him through the mirror. His gaze lingered on it resting on the coffee table in the middle of the room. He didn't dare try to contact Teddy. What if Cronus was with him or another Death Eater? They could transport him somewhere else or, worse, kill him. He may never see him again if that happened.

By ten, Ginny had disappeared into the bathroom. Harry felt fatigue start to set in. He didn't think he slept more than an a few hours since Teddy had gone missing. His sleep had been erratic as he only slept for ten or fifteen minutes at a time. He was on edge, jittery. He gladly accepted the cup of caffeine that Mrs. Weasley offered him. He didn't even taste the hot liquid as it burned down his throat.

By eleven, Harry found himself sitting on the couch with Ginny curled up on his side. He could feel his shirt by his shoulder saturating with tears. It had officially been two days since Teddy had gone missing. Bill, Fleur, and Victoire had arrived for an update. They lingered around – Fleur cleaning the house and keeping herself busy with Victoire trailing after her. By eleven thirty, George and Angelina had appeared as well.

It was slightly pass noon when it happened. There was a familiar _pop_ sound that rang throughout the house. Harry had taken down the anti-Apparating wards from the house when Teddy had gone missing. He was up on his feet in seconds and his eyes sought the pointed face of his childhood enemy. Malfoy stood in the living room, his hands stuffed in his black robes, his paleness shining.

"Where have you been?" snapped Harry. "You were supposed to be here last night! It's noon!"

"Yes, because I wanted to be with Cronus and your werewolf pup for longer than need be," sneered Malfoy. "I only just got away."

Harry was in front of Malfoy in five strides. He gripped a fistful of his robes and slammed Malfoy into the nearest wall. Pale eyes narrowed as his hands came up to push Harry away from him.

"Stop!" Ginny shouted as she rushed towards the two men.

"Where. Is. My. Godson?" Harry snipped out each word dangerously.

"He's at an old Lestrange estate home – one of the smaller summer homes in Wales."

Ginny's wand raised into the air and a silvery horse emitted from the tip. Harry didn't need to ask what she was doing. He knew she was calling the Order and the Aurors who were due for the raid to get Teddy.

"I'm going with you," Ginny said evenly as she pulled a ponytail holder off her wrist and started to tie up her hair.

"The hell you are," Harry snapped harshly. "You're pregnant. You're not going."

"I _am_ going. I care about Teddy as much as you do! I want to be there for him!"

"Then be at the house waiting for him! I'm ending this today. It's done. I need to know you and the baby are safe. I need to know you'll be here for Teddy in case the worst happens!"

Ginny jerked backwards as though she had been slapped. The words hit her hard, angry tears filled her eyes as soft _pops_ started to fill the room as everyone gathered for the rescue mission.

"You think you're going to die today?" Ginny snapped. "You're looking to be reckless just to end this mess?"

"I didn't say that," Harry responded, his anger subsiding. "I have to worry about Teddy. I can't worry about you and the baby too."

"Ginny, Harry's right, you can't go," Mrs. Weasley spoke from behind them, causing Malfoy to roll is eyes and step away from the group that was gathering. "You need to think about the baby."

"I _am_ thinking about _my_ baby. Least you forget, I have _two_ of them. One was kidnapped by a psychopath."

Harry took a deep intake of breath. It lingered in this throat nearly suffocating him. He knew that if someone had told him to stay back, there was no way in hell he would. He could sympathize with Ginny, understood that she had come to see Teddy as her own child. If Teddy had been there, if he had heard Ginny's words, Harry had no doubt that his tiny godson would have been crying tears of joy. All he ever wanted was parents.

"Look, Ginny," Harry spoke calmly as he placed his hands on her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "We're a team. We're a family. Right now, we need to divide our attention on our children, okay? I will focus on Teddy. You focus on the baby in your belly. We each protect one, okay?"

Ginny looked like she wanted to argue, to scream, to fight him on the matter. Except, very slowly, she nodded her head with fresh tears prickling her eyes. Harry reached a hand down and touched her stomach, an encouraging smile spreading across her features. Her hand laced over his, a sob escaping her lips.

"I'm going to bring him home," whispered Harry.

"Just… just make sure you come home with him, okay?"

Snaking a hand on the back of her neck, Harry pulled her close to him. His lips brushed against her forehead and held it there for several seconds before pulling away. His gaze looked beyond her, checking to make sure everyone was there who needed to be there. They had already discussed the plan over twelve hours ago, the teams were already set. His eyes flickered back down to Ginny one last time.

"I love you. We will see you soon."

He stepped away from her, his hand running down her arm as he walked slowly away. He faced the Order and Aurors who had come. Malfoy had joined him, standing next to him like he was a second in command. He told the group the location with coordinates of where he thought the best place to appear was. With a curt nod from Harry, soft pops filled the living room like fireworks as they all Disapparated.

Harry Apparated outside of a lopsided, dilapidated house. His stomach lurched at the thought of his godson being anywhere near the house. He heard faint popssounding behind him in rapid succession. Turning his gaze to the forest surrounding the house, he noted the dark figures that seem to be lurking forward. They were waiting for them.

Before he could get into a battle, Harry darted off to the house. Spells flew towards the forest and, soon after, spells flew out of the forest. Harry paid no attention. He knew he had to get inside and find the locked bedroom Teddy had talked of in the mirror.

Throwing open a backdoor which lead to a kitchen, he froze at the sight in front of him. Cronus was standing there, a hand reaching out and touching his godson's shoulder. Teddy shifted his head, his eyes catching his godfather's gaze. His mouth hung open; his eyes welled with tears. Harry wanted nothing more than to scoop the tiny boy in his arms but knew there would be time for that later.

Cronus turned around, his hand leaving Teddy as he moved. The two wizards had wands drawn at each other, hatred shining in their eyes.

"Don't you dare touch my godson," Harry growled.

Throwing a Disarming Spell, Harry watched out of the corner of his eye Teddy taking a few steps backwards. Cronus blocked the spell. Harry, without thinking, turned his wand onto Teddy and forced him out of the way of the battle. He was dragged across the kitchen as though led by an invisible string and deposited against a wall. His wand then glided to the small kitchen table and flung it on its side in front of Teddy to save him from any stray spells.

Harry rolled his wrist, a loud crack filling the silent room, before he started shooting off a succession of spells. Cronus struggled this time during their duel. The wand he had acquired after losing his own was not as connected with him as his old one. The Shield Charms seemed to not hold up as well, the sparks that flew towards his opponent seemed less bright. Inwardly, Harry smiled. He noticed Cronus approaching a physical rather than magical defense during the battle. He often dodged the spells instead of trying to shield them. A frustrated growl seemed to escape his lips every time a spell failed to live up to its full potential. He was weakened and angry by this unforeseen complication.

The more discouraged Cronus grew, the more confidant Harry became. He had every intention of defeating Cronus, dragging him into the Ministry, and locking him away for a long time. While he wasn't fond of Dementors and had helped Kingsley ban them as guards of Azkaban, there was a part of Harry who would have liked to see Cronus get a kiss from one of the horrid creatures. If anyone disserved such a fate, it was Cronus. He vaguely wondered what Kingsley would say of the cruel suggestion.

A slash of Cronus' wand connected with Harry's face. He felt his skin split open and the blood immediately started to spill out. He stumbled back a step, his wand tightening in his hand. A sneer worked its way onto Cronus' face, a little noise of triumph escaping his lips.

"NO!" Teddy had shouted desperately, his body leaving where he had been hiding behind the table. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Teddy was making his way to his godfather, determination set in his little features. Another spell came hurdling at them, Harry activated a Shield Charm to protect them. He knew he couldn't win the duel with Teddy by his side. He'd play it too cautiously, his fears of a spell ricocheting and hitting his godson were too great.

"Teddy, hide!" Harry hissed as he threw up another shield.

Teddy was lingering behind his godfather not moving. The boy stubbornly stood next to his godfather as though his presence could save them both. His chest was heaving, fresh tears cascading down his cheeks. Harry was forced to throw up another Shield Charm, his insides clenching. Why wasn't he listening?

"Teddy, get behind the table. NOW!" Harry shouted desperately.

The boy only took a step back, his unwavering loyalty to stand by his godfather infuriating the older man. He had never wanted to scream at Teddy as much as he wanted to in that moment. _Protego!_ Harry's mind screamed as another shield popped up in front of the pair.

A masked figure burst into the kitchen, halting both Cronus and Harry in their spell casting. The slender figure with golden white hair looked at the scene in front of him. Harry pointed a wand at the masked figure, tugged his wand backwards and the mask flew off. Draco Malfoy stood there, pale eyes darting around the room. Cronus sneered rejoicingly as Harry trained his wand back onto Cronus. As soon as he noticed Harry did not care of the new figure in the room, his face twisted in confusion.

Malfoy took a few steps forward, grabbing Teddy around the waist and pulling him backwards. Harry shot a Body Binding Spell towards Cronus, who snapped out of his shocked reverie just in time to dive out of the spell's way.

"HARRY!" Teddy screamed as Malfoy held the boy close to his chest, away from the battle.

"Draco, what are you doing?" Cronus shouted, fury and shock lacing his words.

"He doesn't work for you," Harry spat. "You really think I didn't have a spy? You really think he gave a damn that you were his so-called cousin?"

Cronus' head jerked towards Harry whose chest was heaving in anger and whose face was drawn into a smug smirk. He tightened his grip on his wand, deciding what he wanted to do with Cronus. He had half a mind to make the man suffer for kidnapping Teddy and then another part of him wanted to murder the man in front of him.

Cronus trained his wand onto Malfoy and Teddy. Before Harry could stop him, the Killing Curse escaped wordlessly from Cronus' wand. The green jet darted towards the two gracefully. Malfoy raised his wand, casting a shield around him and the boy. Teddy's face was buried securely into the man's chest, his fists clenching his robes. Harry trained his own wand on the discarded table and flung it forward to stop the spell in case Malfoy's shield wasn't strong enough. Not many Shield Charms could stop a Killing Curse.

The seconds ticked by slowly, Harry's stomach was suddenly in his throat. The spell collided with the wood, making a sickening crack fill the air. The table split down the middle, either side flying through the air. Blind fury filled Harry. His wand was trained on Cronus in a second, hatred filling his every inch of him. He tried to kill Teddy. He tried to _kill_ his godson. Chest heaving, breath ragged, pure hatred shining in his eyes, Harry uttered a curse he never thought he'd say.

"AVADA KADAVA!"

The words left Harry's mouth before he could stop himself. He stood frozen, the green sparks flying out of the tip of his wand. They hit Cronus square in the chest, the sneer dying from his features. The body twisted backwards, colliding with the refrigerator before falling to a heap on the floor. Dead eyes stared back at him, mouth hanging open as though one last spell was on his lips.

He had never actually killed anyone before. Sure, Voldemort had died during their duel, but Harry had never uttered the Killing Curse. Voldemort's own Killing Curse had killed him when he lost the duel. Even in his years as Auror, he had never killed anyone. It was always apprehension and Azkaban. He had let the other Unforgivable Curses escape his lips but never this one. His mind flung to his parents. He pictured the sickening green light connecting with his mother's chest, pleads and screams dying in her throat. It was what had killed his parents. He vowed he would never use the curse, vowed he would never kill anyone. He had been so angry though, so desperate to protect his godson. He vaguely wondered what Sirius would say… what Remus would say… what Dumbledore would say… what his parents would say. Would they understand?

"_Potter_!" Malfoy hissed with his arms still securely around Teddy, jerking him out of his thoughts. "Behind you!"

Harry reeled around to come face to face with Rodolphus Lestrange. The Cruciatus Curse hit him square in the chest, knocking him backwards onto the floor. White, hot pain filled every limb in his body. He was only vaguely aware that he was screaming, only vaguely aware that Teddy was also screaming. The pain lifted after what seemed like forever but he knew it, in actuality, had been no longer than several seconds. He twitched on the floor for a few seconds, his head lolling to the side just in time to see Malfoy blasting Rodolphus through a window. Teddy had been shoved behind him, pale and shaking like a leaf.

Forcing himself up, Harry jerked his legs forward to close the space between him and Teddy. He knelt down on the floor, his hands cupping either side of Teddy's face. Tears were pouring down the young boy's cheeks. He was shaking under his touch. The boy's own hands reached up and grasped his godfather's wrists. His skin looked almost translucent. The mop of black hair currently situated on his head only highlighted how white he looked.

"It's okay," Harry murmured. "You're okay."

"Harry," Teddy managed to sob out as large tears fell from his eyelashes.

"I need you to go with Malfoy," Harry said in a steady voice. "He will take you to Ginny. She's waiting for you."

"NO!" he screamed in response, the boy's nails digging into his godfather's wrists. "I want to stay with you!"

"I need to help everyone outside. I need you safe. I need you to stay in the house. Go with Malfoy now."

Harry turned to look at Malfoy who was stepping towards the small boy. His hand found Teddy's shoulder to attempt to pull him back. Teddy fought him, jerking his shoulder away from the grasp and attempting to get closer to his godfather.

"Leave me alone! Don't touch me!" Teddy sobbed as Harry gathered the boy's wrists in his hands.

"Ginny's waiting for you," was all Harry could manage to say.

"Please, Harry, please, don't leave me! Don't leave me! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I won't leave the house again! Just don't leave me! PLEASE!"

Harry's heart clenched. His godson was desperately trying to get his wrists free so that he could no doubt launch them around his godfather's neck. It pained Harry to leave the boy, but he knew he had to. He had to get Teddy to safety. He had to help the Order and the Aurors with the battle outside.

"I'll see you soon," Harry promised and pushed the boy backwards. "I love you."

Malfoy's arms wrapped around Teddy's tiny body, pinning his arms down to his side. Harry felt his heart drop at the look his godson was giving him. He looked betrayed. Offering what he hoped was a comforting smile, Harry stood up on shaky legs.

"HARRY! HAR-"

With a _pop_, they were gone. Harry's chest heaved as he clenched his wand tighter in his hand. Turning towards the back door, he was going to make sure that he ended it here and now.

Stepping outside into the brisk fall air, Harry saw swirls of colors darting through the air. Drawing his wand back, Harry started throwing as many Stunning Spells in rapid succession as he could manage. His wand darting around at the mass of people who had not noticed him exit the house. The spells shot from his wand in rapid fire, bodies falling to the ground one by one.

**Okay, the story is officially finished being written. I just have to proof read. The next and final chapter will be posted on Thursday. I have also written an epilogue awhile ago. I struggled whether or not to include it since I was going to do a sequel. But, I already wrote the epilogue ages ago so I might as well release that too. So, I'll post the epilogue over the weekend. Then, I'll probably take a week or two off before I start posting the sequel which will be entitled "Just Desserts" (the first chapter is already completed) and will skip ahead a few years in the timeline. Teddy will be eight and James will be two. Please, leave a review like always!**


	19. Homecoming

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Chapter Eighteen: Homecoming"**

Teddy felt himself being sucked through a vacuum. Harry had left him. He had let Malfoy, of all people, take him away. His mind was reeling as the familiar blur of Potter House came into view. Malfoy let go of him and he fell to a heap on the floor.

A flash of red was in his eyesight and scooping him up into her warm arms. His slipped his arms shakily around Ginny Weasley's neck and rested his chin on her shoulder. He saw Mrs. Weasley, Fleur, and Angelina were all standing behind them. Tears were streaming down their cheeks, looks of relief crossed over their faces.

"Teddy," Ginny murmured into his hair. "Oh, Teddy."

Ginny pulled away from the hug, her hands cupping his face like Harry had done not long ago. Her thumbs wiped the tears off his face. He stared up at her – dark circles resided under her eyes and her nose was red from crying.

"Are you okay?"

Teddy just nodded, shame filling every inch of his body. He was stupid enough to believe his dad was alive, stupid enough to be captured, stupid enough to believe that Harry would have stayed with him and brought him back home.

"I'm going back," Malfoy announced.

"What's going on?" inquired Ginny.

"Potter killed Cronus. Now, him and the Order are fighting off the rest of Cronus' men."

"Cronus is dead?" Mrs. Weasley spoke up from the back.

Malfoy sneered.

"I just said that, didn't I?" he said in a mocking tone before turning his attention to Ginny. "We're done. After tonight, I never want you, Potter, or that werewolf cub to ever darken my door again."

Teddy felt Ginny's hands leave his face. She rose, her whole body shaking. She stepped forward, pulling out her wand from her pocket.

"Stop calling him that," she said in a dangerously low tone. "He's not a werewolf, and even if he was, we'd still love him the same!"

Fleur had stepped forward and was pulling on Teddy's arm for him to stand up. He did so and felt Fleur's warm arms drape themselves around Teddy's shoulders and pull him close to her. His back was flush with her legs.

"He is Lupin's, isn't he? Kind of runs in the blood."

"It doesn't work like that you tasteless, thoughtless git!" Ginny shouted as she raised her wand.

With a soft _pop_, Malfoy was gone without a response. Teddy watched Ginny curiously as she slowly turned around and dropped to her knees in front of him once more. She tugged him into her arms again, her fingers running through his hair. A soft kiss touched his temple.

"You're safe now," was all she said.

She pulled away, getting a good look at him. She noticed the blood on his jeans and he quickly held out his hand where he cut it on the mirror. Dried blood was smeared across his palm and wrist as were two faint red lines from where he squeezed the glass.

Ginny would not let Teddy leave her sight. She tugged him over to the couch to sit down and wait for the rest of the Order to come back to the house. He gladly snuggled into her side, feeling her warmth and love radiate through him. The day progressed and it grew dark. Ginny led Teddy upstairs to get cleaned up before tugging him along to the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley and Fleur were making dinner.

Teddy couldn't help but think something happened to his godfather. What was taking so long for him to come back? It had been _hours _since he left Cronus' hideout. He found himself unable to speak or eat once Mrs. Weasley placed a plate of food in front of him. Ginny didn't seem to have an appetite either as she pushed her veggies around her plate with her fork.

A familiar _pop_ rang in the living room. Teddy jumped up out of his seat and ran as fast as he could into the room. There, standing with a grim look on his face and blood caked across one of his cheeks was Harry Potter.

Ginny ran past Teddy, who had faltered halfway to his godfather, as she enveloped him into a hug. His arms wrapped around her waist, his face disappearing into her red locks.

"It's over with," he murmured. "It's all over with."

Teddy felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He knew that Cronus had died – watched as his godfather had killed him. Knowing that the rest of Cronus' men had fallen made him sigh in relief. Things could, hopefully, go back to normal. They were no longer in danger, no longer be under constant threats of attack. The Order could disband, and Teddy would never have to go back to Grimmauld Place ever again.

That night, Teddy sat on his bed, crossed legged, Moony clenched against his chest. He stared at the picture of his mother and father with fresh tears springing to his eyes. He couldn't bear to look at the picture of his father, memories of the dilapidated old house floating in front of his eyes. Leaning forward, Teddy grabbed the picture frame and placed it face down on his nightstand. A soft, sad sigh escaped his lips.

"Are you okay, Teddy?"

The small child's head snapped to the doorframe to see his godfather standing there in his Gryffindor plaid pajamas and Holyhead Harpies t-shirt. His hair was rumbled worse than usual and there were large bags residing under his eyes. A thin, red mark ran from his ear down to his chin. His arms were crossed over his chest as he leaned into the doorframe.

"Yeah," he responded as he looked down at Moony.

He was angry at his godfather. Angry that Harry had tossed him aside to Draco Malfoy and left him. Hurt coursed through his veins. Maybe, a little voice told him, Harry didn't care for him as much as he originally thought he did.

The floors creaked as Harry padded his way over to the bed. He sat down next to his godson, hands neatly folded in his lap. Teddy didn't dare look at him in fear that he would start crying again. The past couple of days had made nothing make sense anymore. He was confused, hurt, scared, upset.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" questioned Harry, his voice so soft and warm that the little boy wanted to lean into it.

Teddy only shrugged his shoulders in response though, fighting the urge to fling himself into his godfather's arms. How could he tell his godfather, the famous Harry Potter, that his godson had fell for a nasty trick? That he was stupid enough to believe his dad was back from the dead? Harry, his godfather who ran into battle without a second thought, so knowledgeable, so powerful that he commanded armies, would not understand.

"You said in the mirror, you thought you saw your dad," he continued. "You know your dad is dead, Teddy, right? The dead can't come back with any spell or potion."

"He looked just like him," the boy whispered despite himself. "I don't understand."

Harry let out a great sigh as he reached over and grasped Teddy's knee. The boy's eyes briefly looked over at the hand before adverting his eyes back to Moony.

"What we suspect," started his godfather with a strangled kind of voice, "is that Cronus took some of your dad's hair and made a Polyjuice Potion. Polyjuice Potion allows you to take the form of whatever person you want as long as you have a bit of their hair in it. The morning you disappeared, someone had dug up your dad's grave. I suspect, they took some of his hair."

Teddy snapped his head up, a puzzled look crossing his face as he stared at his worn godfather. Harry looked much older than he had ever remembered him looking. A few days stubble graced his cheeks and chin. His normally shiny green eyes looked almost black due to the dullness.

"He was standing outside my window," Teddy stared who could now not take his eyes off his godfather who had turned to look at him as well. "He looked just like my dad… even had on old robes like my dad always wears in the Pensieve. I ran downstairs… I thought he was back."

"Why didn't you get Ginny?"

"I-I was afraid he'd disappear. I just wanted to get outside as fast as I could. As soon as I stepped on the sidewalk, he looked at me and started talking to me. He said we were all in danger and he had somewhere safe to take us all. He said he was going to come back for you and Ginny. I-I let him take me. We Apparated," Teddy swallowed a sob that had been creeping up in his throat. "I'm so sorry, Harry. I feel so stupid. You're probably so upset with me. I'm so-"

Teddy was cut off when his godfather's arms wrapped around him and pulled him onto his lap. Harry's face was buried into his godson's hair. His arms were wrapped so tightly around the small child that Teddy felt safe for the first time in days. The tears that he was trying to hold back came out in waves. He could only barely hear Harry telling him it was alright into his hair over his cries.

He felt himself sag against his godfather's chest whose grip did not loosen in the slightest. He felt warm, safe, happy. The ill feelings he was feeling towards his godfather were seeping away as a wave of relief washed over him. He was home and he was never going to leave again.

"You're not stupid, Teddy," Harry said evenly once his sobs ceased. "I am not upset with you. It's natural to want something so badly that you begin to not think clearly. You know, there was once when I was thirteen, I was convinced that I saw my dad. Sirius had escaped from prison, and I had just learned the truth about everything that happened. There were Dementors coming for us both. They're nasty creatures that used to guard Azkaban but Kingsley and I got rid of them when he took over the Ministry. They make you relieve your worst memories and take away any happiness. A Patronus is the only thing to drive them away. I was convinced that my dad was standing there and casted a Patronus to save us. I kept telling Hermione that my dad was there even though he was dead. I was so convinced, so sure. It wasn't him though. I think, sometimes, we become so desperate for the ones we love and lost that it makes us not see clearly all the time."

Teddy didn't say anything. He just sighed, his fingers loosening their grip on Harry's t-shirt.

"Ginny and I are going to be adding charms to the doors and windows tomorrow," he spoke softly. "You're not allowed to open a window or a door leading outside. If you do, an alarm will go off."

"Okay…" Teddy whispered, his heart falling slightly.

"You're not in trouble. I think Ginny and I just got too used to a small apartment where we heard everything all the time. We weren't used to a big house where we couldn't always hear what was going on. It's just a precaution not just for your safety but for the baby's safety too when it comes."

"I promise I will never leave the house alone again," Teddy said confidently as he pulled back to look at his godfather. "I promise. I do. I'll do better. I'm so sorry."

"I think we need to have you see someone too. To talk about what happened. Would you like that?"

"I… what do you mean?" Teddy asked with a furrowed brow.

"You were kidnapped by a man impersonating your father. I see you've also placed the picture of your parents down so you can't see it. You watched me kill a man. I think talking about some of that may help you feel better."

Teddy looked up at his godfather. He was disturbed by Cronus pretending to be his dad. The odd smile and the way his skin rippled to reveal his true identity floated in front of his eyelids every time he attempted to close his eyes. As for Harry killing Cronus… he supposed it shocked him more than he wanted to admit. He never pictured his godfather as a man who could kill. Harry had looked so angry, looked so fierce, that Teddy would be lying if he hadn't been momentarily scared of the man he loved so much.

"Okay," Teddy agreed.

Harry's arms fell from around the small boy's shoulders. His hands reached up and cupped his godson's face into his hands.

"I love you, Teddy. I never want you to forget that."

"I love you too, Harry."

"I think I need to apologize too," he spoke with emotion thick in his voice. "I'm sorry for leaving you today. I'm sorry for not staying with you. I knew you were safe and I wanted to make sure everyone in the Order and my fellow Aurors were safe too. It was wrong of me. My priority should have been you. I won't make that mistake again."

Teddy felt fresh tears gliding down his cheeks. He felt Harry's thumbs brush them away. His godfather smiled at him, some of the light starting to creep back into his emerald eyes. He launched his little arms around his godfather's neck and hugged him tightly. Exhaustion wracked his body, and it didn't take long until he had fallen asleep in his godfather's arms.

**Six Months Later**

Teddy sat crossed legged in the living room floor on a rather large blanket. In front of him was a very small baby. James Sirius Potter had come home two days previous and had been very loud. He had Harry's unruly black hair. In fact, Teddy didn't even know it was possible for a baby to have so much hair. Victoire's little sister, Dominique, had come out bald. George and Angelina's baby had just a small tuft of red hair. But James, he had full head of thick hair.

He reached out a finger and James' hand clamped around it like a talon. The finger was tugged towards his mouth and Teddy groaned as his finger was being chewed on by the toothless monster.

"You're gross, James," Teddy announced as he tried to pull his finger from the baby's grasp.

He was watching James while Ginny was in the kitchen making a bottle. He had been given big godbrother duties which basically meant to make sure the baby didn't go anywhere. Teddy had not seen the baby move an inch. Instead, he just kicked his legs and waved his arms like a maniac. He was beginning to think that Ginny didn't really need his babysitting skills.

Harry had taken the week off work. Teddy looked up to see his godfather asleep in the armchair, his glasses askew on his face with his mouth openly drooling. He knew that Ginny and Harry were up all night. Sometimes, Teddy would hear James wail for food. Babies were a lot needier than he thought was possible.

"I'm your big godbrother, you know," Teddy told him as the baby let spit dribbled out of his mouth. "I'm going to be the best big godbrother there ever was. I'll look out for you and take care of you like a real brother."

The floors creaked and Teddy looked up to see Ginny approaching the pair from the kitchen with a bottle in her hand. She smiled down at the boys.

"Would you like to help me feed him?" she asked as Teddy nodded.

She handed Teddy the bottle before scooping James up in her arms. She motioned with her head for Teddy to sit down on the loveseat. He did, shoving himself into the corner. He had held James plenty of times over the past few days. Ron and Hermione even took him to the hospital just hours after he was born so Teddy could meet him. He had sat beside Ginny on the hospital bed and Harry had plopped the wrinkly little thing in his arms. Ginny sank down close next to him on the couch, her arms extending the baby to the five-year-old whose birthday was only days away. They godbrothers had birthday exactly a week apart from each other.

"Remember to mind the head," Ginny spoke softly and Teddy resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He _knew_ that by now.

James was resting on his lap, one hand under James' head and the other moving the bottle to the baby's mouth. He could feel Ginny's hand on top of his own to help support the head. With a look of pure concentration, Teddy wiggled the bottle into the baby's mouth and watched as he automatically started to suck down the contents.

"You know," Ginny's voice started as sweet as molasses, "that a godbrother is already a real brother."

Teddy looked up at her, a smile creeping across his features.

"Really?"

"Oh, definitely. A godbrother and a brother are one in the same. There's no difference. Just like a godson and a son are no different. We are a family, a real family. It's the way that Harry and I want it. It's the way your mom and dad wanted it. It's always been the real deal."

"My last name isn't Potter though," Teddy said slowly, trying to fully understand what Ginny was telling him.

"No, it's not. Harry's last name isn't Black and he considered Sirius Black a father to him. When Harry and I get married, my last name will become Potter but that doesn't make me any less of a daughter to the Weasleys. A name is just a name. It doesn't define your family," Ginny paused and looked him pointedly in the eyes. "Do you want to change your last name to Potter?"

Teddy stilled, his eyes dropping down to James whose eyes were drooping closed and a fist was absentmindedly attempting to rub his eye but kept missing and rubbing his forehead instead. Teddy had been sporting Harry's unruly black hair ever since the Battle of Gringotts. He had taken to sporting brown eyes akin to Ginny's for awhile as well. There was a lump in his throat as he contemplated becoming Teddy Potter instead of Teddy Lupin.

"I… I think I want to keep my dad's name," he said slowly. "It's the only connection I have to him. I have my mum's abilities and my dad's last name. That doesn't upset you and Harry does it?"

The small boy looked up at Ginny with hesitation. He did not want to upset the pair as they had become his parents. In fact, Ginny had just signed a bunch of legal paperwork two weeks ago that named her Teddy's legal guardian alongside Harry.

"Of course, it doesn't upset us," Ginny said with a smile. "We want whatever makes you happy."

"Keeping my dad's name makes me happy. Having you sign the adoption paperwork makes me happy. Having both you and Harry be my parents makes me happy. Does this mean you're officially my godmother now?"

"I think it does," she replied with a smile. "I'm rather proud to be your godmother. I love you, Teddy."

"I love you too, Ginny."

**Final chapter is up! There is an epilogue I have planned. I'll release that tomorrow. Why not? It jumps 20 years into the future to show that everything turned out right as rain for the little Lupin/Potter family. It will be from Teddy's point of view. I'm planning on taking a week or two off until I start posting "Just Desserts" the sequel - it will switch perspectives again like this one. It will give me some time to write some chapters before I start to post it. I've also been working on a Sirius Black story as well when I need a break from my Teddy/Harry story but that's not my priority story so that may not get posted for months. Please, leave a review!**

**Also, someone pointed out last review that Harry had killed before - Quirrell. I guess I just sort of didn't think of that. I mean, I know, I guess, he's always killed Quirrell but it seems like a different kind of kill in my mind. Do you know what I mean? **


	20. Epilogue

"**Cronus Rising"**

"**Epilogue"**

**Twenty Years Later**

Teddy Lupin shifted his weight in the uncomfortable chair in the hospital waiting room. Victoire slouched next to him, her blonde hair cascading into her face and her mouth opened in the most unflattering way but it made his chest clench lovingly at the sight. A large bump resided under her breast. On the other side of Teddy lay a small boy of two. His sandy-colored head rested idly in his father's lap and soft snores escaped his pink lips.

Remus Harry Lupin was the epitome of his father from the hair down to the curvature of his lips. Behind his closed eyelids were wide, amber-colored eyes that watched the world pass him by with an abundant curiosity. His body was covered in baby fat down from his chubby little hands to his protruding belly.

Teddy had seen children grow before having been raised by his godfather since the age of five. When James came along, Teddy had taken to him immediately. In fact, after Harry and Ginny, he was the first one to hold James in his arms with the help of his godfather and godmother. He supported the plump neck with one arm and the other curled to hold slightly bowed legs and his bottom.

By the time Lily came around, Teddy was an expert when it came to babies. He often wanted to hold the children and play with them. He even instructed the Weasley children on how to hold and handle their baby brothers and sisters. Harry always said that Teddy was the best big brother figure his kids could ask for. Teddy glowed with pride anytime those words escaped his godfather's lips.

None of the Potter children captured Teddy's heart like James did, however. By the time he could walk and talk, Teddy made it his mission to teach James everything. Under the watchful supervision of Harry and Ginny, Teddy taught James how to ride a broom and a bike. When James exited his toddler years and entered adolescence, the two plotted grand pranks and jokes together.

James had graduated Hogwarts two years prior. Having inherited his parents' Quidditch abilities, he instantly got a Seeker position with Puddlemore United. James had been beyond excited and the Potter/Weasley/Lupin clan once again purchased one of the top boxes for their personal use.

It had been a Quidditch match that had brought them all to St. Mungo's. James had fallen off his broom after a nasty collision. His body had smacked into one of the tall pillars on the edge of the field. Medics on the ground magicked him the rest of the fall but James had been knocked unconscious and rushed to the hospital.

That was how Teddy, Victoire, and little Remus had found themselves at the hospital that night. Harry, Ginny, and their two other children were situated across from the Lupin family. Molly and Arthur Weasley were situated on a couch next to Teddy. Ron, Hermione, Rose, and Hugo had joined the group as well. The rest of the Weasleys had went to their respective homes but made sure to tell Harry and Ginny to send them a Patronus as soon as they heard something.

Teddy could not move without disturbing his wife and son. So, he concluded that he would have to deal with the uncomfortable position and not complain. His gaze glanced at the clock at the wall to see it was nearing midnight.

Glancing across from him, Harry Potter seemed to be in a similar predicament. His wife was curled up at his left side, her face buried into the folds of his jersey. On his other side, little fifteen-year-old Lily Potter was sprawled across her dad's lap. Resting on his shoulder, squished behind Lily, was seventeen-year-old Albus Potter who had been consumed by sleep like the rest of the lot.

Harry grimaced at his godson, his eyes rolling behind his glasses at the sight of their families. Teddy smiled back and attempted to move his leg which was rapidly becoming numb from his son's slight weight.

"Family of James Potter?"

Harry unwrapped his arm from around Ginny's shoulders and raised his hand to beckon the healer who was already on her way to the large group of people. Teddy let out a small chuckle. His godfather needn't introduce himself. Everyone in the Wizarding World knew who the Potters were. Harry Potter – head of the Auror division, war hero twice over, the most famous wizard in all of the United Kingdom. Ginny Potter – former Quidditch player and famed Quidditch commentator. James Potter – another famed Quidditch player. Albus and Lily Potter were certainly household names but they were still in school. Head Boy and prefect respectively, they would too be great one day.

"James will be fine. He's suffered a concussion but nothing damaging. You can see him now if you like."

"Thank you," Harry responded with a tired smile.

Teddy was immediately lifting Remus up in his arms. Victoire didn't move from her spot as soft snores escaped her mouth. Situating the sleeping boy on his hip, he crossed the way to his godfather. Ginny and his kids had failed to wake up.

"Why don't you go see James?" Harry suggested. "Tell him I'd come but everyone has made me into their pillow. Let him know we're all out in the waiting room."

Teddy walked along the corridors of the hospital with his son still in his arms. The slight weight was comforting against his chest. Small puffs of breath hit his neck every few seconds.

He opened the door to the hospital room and saw James looking pale and tired but virtually untouched. Under his right eye was a fading cut and a bruise shone brightly on his neck that disappeared under his hospital gown.

"Merlin, we only have a hundred family members but you and Rem are the only ones to see me at the hospital at my worst. I could have died from blunt force trauma!" James said with a smirk gracing his features.

"Oh, there's a gaggle of people out in the waiting room but they've all fallen asleep waiting for your fat arse to wake up from your concussion. The mighty Harry Potter managed to fight off sleep, but, alas, he was transformed into a pillow for three and can't move at the moment."

James laughed as Teddy took a seat next to the bed. Remus slid down until his bottom was sitting in Teddy's lap. The young boy groaned as a fist came up to rub his eyes.

"'Ames?" the little boy croaked.

"I'm fine," whispered James. "Go back to sleep."

"'Ames," the little boy spoke again as he lifted his head off his father's shoulder and reached out for the man.

James was Remus' godfather, a title that James took very seriously. He had saw firsthand how a godfather was to act growing up, had long talks with Harry when Victoire's pregnancy was announced and he was asked to take on that duty. It was, perhaps, the only thing in James' life that he deemed worthy of taking seriously. He normally joked and pulled pranks. He tended to make even the most serious situations light hearted. Remus though? No, that boy was his godson and he viewed it as the most important role of his short life. He did not joke about his responsibility towards the young boy. Teddy often thought James deemed himself a second father to the boy instead of just a godfather.

Teddy lifted Remus onto the hospital bed. The small child latched his arms around James' neck. He settled himself into his godfather's arms and closed his eyes.

"Did I at least look good when I passed out? I remember hitting the stands but then nothing else," James asked as he ran a hand through the boy's hair.

"You looked like a bloody fool," Teddy replied with a smirk. "I think you may have pissed yourself as you fainted."

"Nah, mate, that's when you _die_."

"Ah, simple mistake."

James had perked up, any sight of sleep disappeared as soon as Teddy and Remus entered the room. He seemed full of energy as though he wanted to jump off the bed and go play Quidditch some more.

"They had news coverage on your fall on in the waiting room. I think they replayed your fall every half hour," Teddy said lazily. "Every time it got funnier and funnier."

"Did they remix it with a funny song in the background?" James said in a hopeful voice.

"No, but I'll have to see if your mum can get the coverage so I can do it myself. We can replay it at every holiday."

"It could easily become Potter and Lupin tradition."

"On your wedding day, we can play it behind you and whoever you'll marry as you kiss."

"Oi, I gotta find myself a lady with a good sense of humor then to achieve that goal."

Teddy laughed. He was merely joking but he got the distinct impression that James was rather serious about this tradition.

"We can recreate it at my wedding too. The missus and me will be on brooms for the ceremony. We'll kiss. Right after the kiss, it will happen. You'll be best man, obviously. You can make a wall appear out of thin air and knock me off my broom, can't you? You _are_ an Auror."

"Seeing as you have no girlfriend, it will certainly give me some time to practice this feat of magic."

"It'll stun the audience. They'll gasp before standing up and applauding as I stand up and give a great bow."

Teddy laughed tiredly as he propped his head up with his fist. Remus had fallen fast asleep in James' arms.

"I'm just sorry I was too young to make anything epic happen at your wedding. I wasn't even your best man!"

"Well, James when I got married, you were fourteen," reasoned Teddy who felt slightly guilty. "You were still in the wedding."

Teddy thought back to his wedding. He had been twenty, Victoire eighteen. He had asked Harry to be his best man. James, Albus, and Louis had been his groomsman. It had been a massive affair in France. All the Weasleys had traveled for it and quite a few of Teddy and Victoire's friends had made the journey as well. Not to mention, a boatload of family friends attended. It was a massive 300 plus person event. It had caused issues with the French Ministry of Magic to accommodate so many wizards in one place where alcohol had been served. He remembered the night ending in fireworks courtesy of George and Ron. He also remembered Ron being absent of an eyebrow for the next month having scorched his off in the celebrations. He also remembered Mrs. Weasley screaming at the top of her lungs when they set off said fireworks while clearly intoxicated. He remembered, very clearly, his drunk godfather falling out of his chair laughing hysterical at the shouts while a very sober Ginny had started to scold him.

"Had my first firewhiskey that night right under Mum's nose. Uncle George snuck it to me to try," James reminisced with a smile. "That was awful. Never dared try it again until I was eighteen."

"I'd say my wedding was thrilling enough without your added input."

"I was too naïve at fourteen. Didn't understand what big of a deal it was. Why don't you and Victoire renew your vows. I'll make the second wedding even more memorable."

"Ah, James, I'm afraid with another baby on the way, there isn't the time. Guess we will just have to make yours the party of the century."

There was a knock at the door. Both boys looked to see Harry, Ginny, Albus, and Lily meander in.

"Glad you're okay, James," Lily said with a yawn as she made her way over to the hospital bed to give her brother a hug.

"Me too. You hit the stands so hard that we saw the whole pillar shake," Albus added.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Ginny asked as she placed a kiss on top of James' unruly hair.

"I'll be even better when I can go home," replied James.

"They said they will release you as long as you don't spend the night alone," Harry told him. "Your mom's going to take your siblings home. I'll wait for you to be discharged."

"I'll get your old room ready," Ginny announced as she wrapped an arm around Lily.

The Potters bid James goodnight and disappeared out of the hospital room. Harry sank down into a chair next to Teddy.

"You can go home with Victoire and Remus," Harry announced. "Ron and Hermione already left. So did Molly and Arthur. Victoire is still sleeping in the waiting room, snoring actually."

"I'll wait with you," Teddy replied.

Harry reached out a hand and squeezed Teddy's shoulder. Teddy could not remember how many times Harry had stayed up with him. The night his grandmother died, he remembered Harry holding him in his arms as he cried until the wee hours of the night. He thought back to all the times Teddy had been sick only to have Harry sleeping in a chair next to his bed in case he needed anything. He remembered the late nights that his godfather sat with him at the kitchen table helping him prepare for his Auror exams, quizzing him into the early mornings. He remembered Harry coming over when Remus was born, willing to help out so him and Victoire could get some rest or even have a date night to unwind. Harry was always there for him through the good times and the bad. He couldn't abandon his godfather now to wait alone with James until he was discharged. No, Teddy would stay with him as his godfather as his godfather had always stayed with him.

The door opened slowly and Victoire's blonde head peaked into the room. Noticing her husband and uncle, she stepped inside and walked to the edge of James' bed.

"I'm assuming he's alright if everyone has left," Victoire reasoned with a playful smile creeping onto her face. "Way to ruin a good Quidditch game, James."

"Ruin it?" he replied aghast. "I _make_ the games worth watching!"

"You can take Remus home, if you like," Teddy said. "James is being discharged so I thought I'd wait with Harry."

Victoire nodded. She reached out and squeezed James' shoulder before crossing to the other side of the bed. She kissed Teddy briefly on the lips and Harry stood up to give her a hug. She then scooped up the child who moaned, "'Ames." With a small wave, Victoire had disappeared out the door.

"We were talking about making a new Potter and Lupin tradition," James broke the silence as he looked at his father.

"I don't even want to know," Harry responded with a slight laugh.

"Awe, come on, Dad, we're not that bad."

"I seem to remember you two plotting to have Teddy transform himself into you to sit some of your exams first year," Harry said trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh, I forgot about that!" Teddy announced. "Molly overheard us and owled Percy to tattle. Of course, Percy had to owl Ginny."

"Fred was mad. He wanted to take turns using Teddy!" added James.

"You're lucky your cousin told on you. You would have been expelled," reasoned Harry.

"We weren't actually serious," James replied with a wink in Teddy's direction.

"Sometimes, I wonder how Gins and I made it out alive raising you lot."

"You're the one mad enough to have four kids," James reasoned.

"Why do you think he spent so much time at work?" retorted Teddy playfully as he gently tapped Harry's shin with his foot.

Harry sighed deeply but there was a smile dancing on his face.

"You think grandmum will throw me a dinner tomorrow for my brave endeavors?" James asked with a grin. "I know I'm her favorite."

"You think you're _everyone's_ favorite," Teddy retorted.

"Well, I'm _your_ favorite. We all know that. I'm not dad's favorite though. We all know _your_ dad's favorite."

"I don't have favorites," Harry spoke up evenly.

"He doesn't have _favorites_," James said with a roll of his eyes. "You hear that, Ted? He apparently doesn't have favorites."

"Fine. Teddy is my favorite godson. Lily is my favorite daughter. I, daresay, you and Al tie for my favorite son. There, you happy?" questioned Harry.

"Exceedingly," James retorted with a grin.

Teddy leaned back into his seat, his smile never faltering at the playful banter between his family. _His family_. Harry and Ginny ensured he was always wanted, loved, included. They treated him as their own son. Their children treated him as their sibling. The Weasleys treated him like a grandson, a nephew, and a cousin. There was nothing better than this. They were and always had been a family.

**Whelp, it's finally finished! I ask you all to review if you took the time to read the story. Feedback would be greatly appreciated and reviews will make me work quicker on the sequel as they always inspire me and make me want to write even more! I'm still planning out the sequel (Just Desserts) and have started to write it. My Teddy chapters are giving me some issues as Harry's POV really drives the main plot along. I say check back next Friday. If I don't start posting by then, then check back the following Friday. I'll start posting on a Friday so you guys know when the sequel starts. I just want to get a few chapters ahead of schedule before I start posting. Thanks for reading and taking the time to review!**


End file.
